Effective law enforcement, respect for human rights needed in war vs. terrorism, drugs —UN

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres on Monday night brought up the need for effective law enforcement and respect for human rights during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-UN (ASEAN-UN) Summit.

"The United Nations stands ready to provide technical support to ASEAN and its member countries in their efforts to counter terrorism and violent extremism, and to combat transnational crime, including drug trafficking and people trafficking, through policies designed to protect their citizens with effective law enforcement and respect for human rights," Guterres said.

President Rodrigo Duterte was not present during the ASEAN-UN Summit. Foreign Affairs Secretary attended on his behalf.

Duterte had a rocky relationship with the UN when it was under Ban Ki-moon, who spoke against the President's stand on killings.

In relation to counter-terror efforts, Guterres said he was "heartened by the recent liberation of Marawi from ISIS."

"Continued trilateral cooperation between the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia will strengthen regional peace and security," he said.

The session was closed to the media before Cayetano gave his remarks.

Rohingya

Guterres also raised his "deep concern" with the Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to Bangladesh.

"It is a worrying escalation in a protracted tragedy and a potential source of instability in the region, and radicalization," he said, adding that the UN welcomes ASEAN's approaches to Northern Rakhine.

"Since the beginning of the crisis, and beyond the end of violence, I have called for unhindered humanitarian access to affected communities; and the right to safe, voluntary and dignified return of those who fled, to their places of origin," Guterres said. —KBK, GMA News