President Rodrigo Roa Duterte countered the critics of the government on the issue of human rights and stressed the importance of the new Anti-Terrorism Law of the country amid continuous threat of extremism.
“The Philippines will continue to protect the human rights of its people, especially from the scourge of illegal drugs, criminality, and terrorism,” President Duterte assured in his speech at the 75th United Nations General Assembly.
The Philippine Chief Executive said the human rights has sometimes been “weaponized” by some forces. “They attempt to discredit the functioning institutions and mechanisms of a democratic country and a popularly elected government which in its last two years, still enjoy the same widespread approval and support,” he stated.
He likewise emphasized the value of an effective legal framework, citing the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 that focuses on “terrorism and the usual reckless response to it.”
“Its enactment was done pursuant to our commitment, and the strict adherence to the relevant Security Council resolutions and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy,” he added.
The Chief Executive was the twelfth speaker on the September 22 high-level debate of the assembly which hosted 14 heads of states, including US President Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. – Report from Mela Lesmoras
