Thousands spent on ‘Punisher’ visit
Ruthless leader treated like a VIP in New Zealand despite his support for vigilante killings at home, writes Tony Wall.
Kiwi taxpayers footed a $15,000 bill for security and VIP Transport for controversial Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s whistlestop visit to Auckland – double what officials thought it would cost.
Human rights groups are outraged that Duterte – who has openly encouraged the killing of drug users and criminals – was welcomed by the New Zealand Government while on his way home from the Apec summit in Peru in November.
More than 6000 people have been killed in Duterte’s so-called war on drugs since he took power in June last year, earning him the nickname ‘‘The Punisher’’.
While Duterte was in Auckland for just 32 hours, he stayed at the plush Langham Hotel in downtown Auckland, putting on a banquet that saw him mobbed by Filipino supporters.
Foreign Minister Murray McCully also paid him a one-hour ‘‘courtesy call’’, during which Duterte claimed drugs were an ‘‘existential’’ threat to his country, according to documents obtained by Sunday Star-Times.
Human rights lawyer Michael Bott said the visit sent the wrong message to Duterte and the international community.
’’We’ve rolled out the red carpet and telegraphed to him that it’s perfectly OK to shoot innocent men, women and children. It’s appalling.’’
Documents obtained under the Official Information Act show Foreign Affairs officials reported before the visit that there was ‘‘mounting international concern’’ about the drug killings, but still recommended Duterte be offered a bespoke ‘‘guest of Government package’’.
It was thought security and transport would cost about $8000 at the time.
Then-Prime Minister John Key signed off on the arrangements for Duterte’s visit.
It ended up costing $15,239, paid by the Visits and Ceremonial Office (VCO) of the Department of Internal Affairs.
This included $6669 for ‘‘VIP transport’’ – believed to be the use of the Government’s fleet of BMW 730Ltds.
Thousands more was spent on sending staff to Auckland to meet with the Filipino advance party and accommodation costs and flights for VCO staff.
However, the Philippine government agreed to pay its own accommodation costs.
The Star-Times requested details of McCully’s meeting with Duterte and was provided with a four-page Ministry of Foreign Affairs report with large sections redacted.
According to the document, Duterte was taken with our ‘‘pristine environment’’ and ‘‘clearly appreciated’’ having transport and security provided.
‘‘The hospitality provided seems to have strengthened President Duterte’s already warm disposition toward New Zealand,’’ the report said, adding ‘‘the hotel was at times buzzing with a combination of expectant members of the media and the Filipino community’’.
Duterte told McCully the Philippines faced an ‘‘existential crisis’’ and there was an ‘‘urgent need to eradicate not only drug abuse but the systemic corruption that sustains and benefits from it’’.
He said his administration had encountered a ‘‘$US216 billion (NZ$300b) industry feeding the habit of three million Filipinos’’.
There was little detail of what McCully said in response, other than to ‘‘remind Duterte of the conversation he had with Prime Minister John Key on the margins of the East Asia Summit at which human rights were discussed at length.’’
The report concluded that while the timing of the visit had proved difficult logistically, it had provided an ‘‘excellent opportunity to understand the motivations and perspectives of a previously littleknown leader in our region who has quickly fanned controversy’’.
McCully told media after the meeting Duterte was a ‘‘tough guy but he was warm, courteous and actually quite charming’’.
‘‘He’s a very engaging character and it’s not difficult to discuss sensitive issues with him.’’
In a statement to the Star-Times McCully said Duterte was provided facilitation and security appropriate for a head of state.
He said he discussed issues’’ during his talks raised various concerns.
‘‘We had a frank and open discussion on human rights and related issues. President Duterte clearly understood the importance New Zealand places on human rights, and our concern about the mounting death toll in the war on drugs.’’
Bott said McCully have ‘‘feted’’ Duterte.
‘‘New Zealand at the time was nearing the end of its two-year stint as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and this shows an example of the Government’s wimp-like approach to human rights.’’ ’’bilateral and also seemed to