MANILA, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Philippine resident Rodrigo Duterte called the United Nations "stupid" for questioning his aggressive anti-drug campaign and warned the international organization against interfering in the nation's affairs, saying hundreds of suspected drug dealers and users have been killed since he took office on June 30.
Duterte, at an event commemorating the 115th anniversary of the nation's police force, also accused a female senator -- who is heading up an inquiry into the surge of extrajudicial killings -- of being an "immoral woman." He complained the United Nations is targeting his administration's anti-drug campaign while remaining mum on terrorist activities in the Middle East.
"I have yet to see the United Nations complaining publicly, even not criticizing countries who are into bombing villages and communities, killing everybody there including the goats and the cows and the dogs," he said, urging police not to be intimidated by the United Nations. "We will answer for every killing that involves a human being, whether it is connected with the fulfillment of duty of the police or not."
Since Duterte launched his aggressive policy of encouraging police to shoot dead suspected drug dealers and users, he said up to 1,000 people have been killed. He said his country welcomes any human-rights investigation, even after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in June condemned the campaign as an "illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms." But Duterte also said he would fight back against human-rights investigators in the country.
"While I really do not know who's going to come here for that, I am going to whack him in the head," he said in the profanity-laced speech.
He also accused a female senator, whom he didn't name, of "flaunting" an extra-marital affair and using her driver to collect money from drug dealers. He later identified who he was talking about as Sen. Leila de Lima.
"In fairness, I would never say here that the driver gave the money to her. But by the looks of her, she has it," he said.
De Lima, after the speech, said the personal attack amounts to abuse and misuse of power
"How does one defend oneself when the attacker is immune and has all the backing of executive power to support him in his personal attack. This is no less than abuse and misuse of executive power," she said.
