Duterte rant defence

MANILA: The Philippine government yesterday defended a recent expletive-laden tirade by President Rodrigo Duterte against the EU, after the bloc summoned the country’s envoy to explain the “unacceptable” remarks.

Duterte had called members of the European Parliament “sons of bitches” and threatened to hang them all for urging Philippine authorities to stop legislation to reinstate the death penalty.

“It was in the context of non-interference with national sovereign affairs,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said when asked how the Philippine envoy explained Duterte’s remarks.

“The president felt that they were impinging, infringing on national sovereignty,” he added. “He (was) emphasising that we should be left alone to be able to do our part.”

The EU’s external action service, which is equivalent to a foreign ministry, summoned the Philippines’ charge d’affaires in Brussels on Monday to discuss Duterte’s comments. “We wanted to receive an explanation for the recent, unacceptable comments of President Duterte,” EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said. – ANA-DPA