Duterte again on the NYT

“LET THE world condemn Duterte.”

This is what The New York Times (NYT) wrote in its latest editorial piece following the filing of charges against Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The op-ed piece cited the complaint filed by lawyer Jude Josue L. Sabio, counsel to selfconfessed Davao Death Squad member Edgar B. Matobato, which accuses Mr. Duterte, 11 other politicians, and supporters of high crimes for the alleged 9,400 deaths in the enforcement of the administration’s anti-drug campaign.

It also cited a Human Rights Watch report that criticized Mr. Duterte as early as 2009 when he was still Davao City mayor, an Amnesty International report published last January, and a statement by ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s statement.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto C. Abella, meanwhile, issued a statement saying that while they recognize the foreign newspaper’s “right to opinion,” they disagree with its stance.

He said: “The President was democratically elected to attack corruption and crime that have made so many Filipinos hostages to the criminals who had prospered through the rampant drug trade and other criminal activities that plagued our nation for decades. PRRD’s number one priority is therefore to save lives and to improve the lot of all of our countrymen with the cooperation of law enforcement officials, public health professionals, civil society and committed citizens.”