The Philippines found an unlikely ally from
China.
Barely a week from the time the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein suggested that the Philippine President Rodrigo
Roa Duterte needs to undergo a “psychiatric evaluation”.
The Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights cited the actions of Duterte
of repeteadly criticising the human rights defenders and the inclusion of a
United Nations special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples Victoria
Tauli-Corpuz in a terrorist list, that led to the suggestion of the Philippine
president to undergo a “psychiatric test.”
China, being a one of the
five permanent members of the United
Nation Security Council member weighs in and defended the actions of President
Rodrigo Roa Duterte, urging the in international community to
"respect" the country's sovereignty and view its programs
objectively.
"Relevant sides of
the international community, including the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights, shall respect the sovereignty of the Philippines
and the will of its people, view the outcomes of the Philippines' fight against
drug and terrorism in a comprehensive, unbiased and objective way, and support
its efforts to move forward its human rights cause in light of its national
conditions," China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said in a press
briefing in Beijing.
"As an agency of the
UN, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is
expected to fulfill its duties within the framework set out by the purposes and
principles of the UN Charter," he added.
The Duterte administration
has already clarified that the inclusion of UN special rapporteur on the rights
of indigenous peoples Victoria Tauli-Corpuz in the terrorist list is not
because of the position she occupies as a UN special rapporteur but due to intelligence report linking her to the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional
Committee (ICRC) of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army.
China Foreign Ministry
Spokesperson further states that "anyone without bias can see that
President Duterte has made positive efforts since assuming office to combat
drug-related crimes, as well as terrorism, develop the national economy, and
improve people's livelihood, which have effectively protected and promoted the
Philippine people's fundamental rights to security and development".
Source: PNA
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