President Rodrigo Duterte answers questions from reporters during his visit to the wake of Senior Insp. Mark Gil Garcia at the Rizal Provincial Police Office in Taytay, Rizal, on Aug. 24. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE/INQUIRER
DAVAO CITY鈥擨鈥檓 the President, you fool!
President Rodrigo Duterte chided yet again the United Nations and all the other critics of his administration鈥檚 unforgiving campaign against illegal drugs, which has claimed the lives of some 1,700 drug personalities and triggered condemnation from international groups.
Delivering his usual expletive-laced speech before the military here on Friday, the President said the world body broke protocols when it issued a statement expressing concern over the unabated extrajudicial killings which characterized his war on drugs.
鈥淲hen I was mayor, you can really criticize me 鈥� call me names. But these dimwits forgot that I鈥檓 now a President and I represent a country,鈥� Mr. Duterte said at the 10th anniversary celebration of the military鈥檚 Eastern Mindanao Command at the Naval Station Felix Apolinario.
鈥淒o not go outside to the media and start blabbering your mouth because I represent a sovereign state,鈥� he continued.
The Chief Executive, who earlier threatened to pull the Philippines out of the United Nations, said he did not care about the views of human rights advocates and experts from the United Nations on his controversial antidrug campaign.
鈥淢y business is to protect the people of the Philippines and keep intact the integrity of the republic. That is my solemn and sacred duty,鈥� he said.