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Duterte to EU: Review your policies


President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday made an appeal to the European Union (EU), which has been critical of his campaign against illegal drugs.

Duterte, who bristled at criticisms against the drug war, had repeatedly told his critics not to meddle with his domestic policies.

"You might want to take a second look in your policies. First of all, do not humiliate the leaders, then you could talk to them, pay him a visit. You can talk to me here," Duterte said in a speech before business leaders in Malacañang.

"But you don't send here investigators to find out because that is really interference."

Duterte vowed in his third State of the Nation Address on July 23 that the anti-narcotics drive will be as "relentless and chilling" as the day it began in July 2016.

He also said that he is more concerned with saving lives than championing human rights in the fight against illegal drugs, prompting criticism from various quarters including Vice President Leni Robredo and former President Benigno Aquino III.

Government data showed that 4,354 suspects have died in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs compared to 147,802 that have been arrested in 102,630 anti-drug operations conducted from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2018.

Criticisms against the anti-illegal drugs campaign had reached the International Criminal Court, which opened in February a preliminary examination on allegations that Duterte and other senior administration officials have committed crimes against humanity due to the increasing number of killings of drug personalities. — BAP, GMA News

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