UN rights council to vote on Philippine drug war text

The UN Human Rights Council was due to vote Thursday on a resolution mandating a "comprehensive" international review of the Philippines drug war, which watchdogs say has killed more than 20,000 people.

The resolution has faced strong pushback from President Rodrigo Duterte's government, which counters that the crackdown on narcotics has left just 5,300 people dead while retaining the strong support of many Filipinos.

The text to be voted on in the 47-member rights council requires the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to conduct "a comprehensive written report on the situation of human rights in the Philippines," over the coming year.

Activists said they had initially hoped the resolution would call for a formal "inquiry," but compromised on a "report" to raise the prospects of winning a majority.

Duterte called the former UN rights chief, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, an "idiot" after Zeid raised concern about the drug war, which has reportedly included nightly slaying of suspects by police and masked gunmen.

Last week, Duterte spokesman Salvador Panelo described the resolution as the "latest demonisation attempt against the president" and said Manilla expected it "to fail." Amnesty International said Thursday's vote in Geneva was "critical."