Rody threatens to resume attacks vs UN rights exec

President Duterte has threatened to resume his attacks against United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR) Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein, a Jordanian prince, one of the human rights advocates who openly criticized the Chief Executive for his deadly campaign against illegal drugs.

Duterte made the statement after learning that Jordan has not yet delivered two Cobra helicopters it promised for the Philippines.

In his speech during the 68th National Security Council and 69th National Intelligence Coordinating Agency founding anniversary celebration in Pasay City the other day, Duterte said, “Hanggang ngayon wala pa ‘yung helicopter. Bantay ka, sir. Pag hindi dumating ‘yun, ituloy ko talaga ‘yung mura.”

Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who committed to give two Cobra attack helicopters to the Philippines, is a cousin of the UNCHR chief.

Duterte said he was irked when Zeid criticized him over the human rights situation in the Philippines, specifically when the UN official stated that he (Duterte) needs to examined by a psychiatrist.

“I really said, he will get a mouthful from me,” he said, adding he was just advised by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. to go easy on the UN human rights chief because the latter ’s cousin happens to be the Jordanian king who has committed to donate two Cobra choppers.

Duterte earlier criticized Zeid for not being able to understand how democracy works in the Philippines since he comes from a country whose officials do not have a democratic mandate.

Zeid has acknowledged that his unvarnished criticism of world leaders has made it impossible for him to secure a second term.

He called Hungary’s prime minister a racist, suggested the Philippine president needed a “psychiatric evaluation” and accused US President Donald Trump of driving humanity off a mountain.

“I have irritated, I think, all governments over the course of (my) four years,” Zeid, a member of Jordan’s royal family, told the BBC at the weekend.

As the deadline approaches to replace Zeid, one candidate vying for the job has argued that with the UN human rights system facing unprecedented threats, the right chief’s office needs a change in tone.

“The next high commissioner must understand that defending human rights is not about attacking governments, it is not an exercise aiming to attribute blame or fault,” wrote Nils Melzer, the current UN special rapporteur on torture, in a letter announcing his bid to succeed Zeid.

“There is no point in winning perceived moral superiority at the price of mutual loss of respect, influence and understanding,” added Melzer, a Swiss national.

Justice by retribution

Bolstering his belief in the principle of justice by retribution, President Duterte did not show any concern for the death of the suspect in the robbery-slaying of a pregnant assistant prosecutor of the Office of the Ombudsman last June in Quezon City.

Duterte insinuated that the suspect identified as Angelo Galvez Avenido deserved to die to pay for his sins that led to the death of lawyer Madonna Joy Ednaco-Tanyag early this year.

“Paano ‘yung mga sundalo ko? O paano ‘yung – sabagay, tabla na. Iyong nagsaksak ng ombudsman, buntis pa. Pero sa awa ng Diyos, patay na rin, so tabla lang (What about my soldiers? What about… now, we are even. The stabbing to death of the pregnant ombudsman prosecutor. With God’s grace, he is now dead we are now even),” said Duterte, who is known for his hard stance against illegal drugs and criminals.

Avenido, a 31-year-old jeepney barker, was killed after allegedly grabbing a policeman’s firearm inside Camp Karingal, Quezon City last Saturday.

Police claimed Avenido suffered a gunshot wound while he was under police custody.

Avenido was held for the killing of Tanyag, 33, whom he stabbed dead in Barangay Vasra, Quezon City last June. She was five-months pregnant.

During his speech at the NSC-NICA founding anniversary celebration in Pasay City, Duterte also defended policemen from any criminal liability, especially when it comes to just doing their jobs.

In the Philippines, the President said: “It’s really an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth… You took a life, then you must pay (for) it with life.”

Duterte has also espoused the reimposition of the death penalty.

Last Tuesday evening, Duterte recalled a similar case in his home province of Davao wherein a suspect also ended up dead at the hands of policemen. The suspect was killed after he allegedly fought it out with policemen by grabbing their firearms.

Duterte then reiterated his support for policemen who dutifully support the administration’s anti-criminality campaign.

“I said, ‘do not destroy my country’ because I will kill you. Do not destroy the young, our children, dahil hihiritan talaga kita. And so what’s wrong with that? That is a legitimate defense,” he said.

Many times in his public speeches, Duterte said he cannot be brought to trial even in the International Criminal Court on the defense that he is just out to protect the majority of his countrymen from the ill-effects of illegal drugs, particularly shabu.