Philippine President threatens to leave UN

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday threatened to withdraw his country from the United Nations following its criticism of the extra-judicial fight against drug trafficking led by his administration.

"Maybe we'll just have to decide to separate from the UN," Duterte said, adding that he would call on China and the African countries to create another global organisation.

He said this after UN human rights experts demanded that the Philippine government stop its controversial methods of ending drug trafficking, which have claimed 1,000 lives since Duterte was elected President in May, Efe news reported.

After deeming their criticisms "stupid", Duterte called the UN "useless".

"You now, UN, if you can say one bad thing about me, I can give you ten (about you)," he said, before mentioning the organisation's "failure" to curb hunger and terrorism.

Duterte gained popularity in 1988 when he became the mayor of Davao on the southern island of Mindanao, where he reigned for 22 years over different periods characterised by his strong defence of extra-judicial killings.

The President, who announced the restoration of the death penalty, has vowed to end drug trafficking in six months in accordance with a pledge he made during the electoral campaign, which helped him to win the vote by a large majority.

--IANS

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