PHL seat in UNHRC repudiates critics of war on drugs —Palace

Malacañang on Saturday expressed enthusiasm over the Philippines' reelection to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UN-HRC), and took a swipe at critics of the war on drugs.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo described the victory as "recognition that our government respects human rights and will not tolerate abuse by those in authority."

Panelo also considers the reelection as a "repudiation of the critics and detractors on President Duterte's unrelenting war against illegal drugs."

At Friday's election in New York, the Philippines secured a seat in the 47-member council along with Bahrain, Cameroon, Somalia, Bangladesh, and Eritrea. A 97-vote majority from the 193 nations that make up the UN's General Assembly is needed for approval.

Panelo conveyed the Philippine government's gratitude to the Geneva-based body for "affirming the Philippines’ brand of human rights advocacy under the Duterte administration as truly responsive to our people’s needs and aspirations for a better and more dignified life."      

Also, Malacañang claimed that the community of nations has viewed the drug menace as a "global problem requiring its utmost attention in forcefully dealing with it and forging a united front against the purveyors of its proliferation across the frontiers of the world."

In saying so, Panelo remarked that the Philippines is at the forefront of the "gigantic fight" and is "showing the way how to slay the dragon of destruction."

Duterte's chief lawyer also said the UN-HRC has acknowledged the administration's campaign against illegal drugs, corruption, and criminality as "essential to the protection of the right to life, liberty and property of every peace-loving and law-abiding citizen of our State."

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police, the primary government agency tasked to fight the war on drugs, construed the UNHRC election as a stamp of approval on the Duterte Administration's drugs policy.

"With the United Nations’ recognition, the PNP will be more strengthened to fight the menace of drug syndicates that are continuously affecting our communities," the national police force said in a statement.

"With other countries coming together and working collectively in facing this problem, the PNP believes that, in due time, we will win the war against illegal drugs and crime rate will continuously be reduced."

Earlier, the Commission on Human Rights, a vocal critic of the war on drugs, welcomed the inclusion of the Philippines into the UN body. 

But CHR spokesperson Atty. Jacqueline Ann de Guia warned: "Earning a seat in the said council puts pressure on the government to address allegations of numerous human rights violations, starting with the growing cases of extrajudicial killings purportedly linked to the government’s campaign against illegal drugs."

She added that the CHR will continue to perform its mandate of helping UN monitor the human rights situation on the ground as the country’s independent national human rights institution.

However, activist Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said that the PHL's winning a seat at the UNHRC is a sad irony.

Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said, "[It is]sad irony given the human rights record of the Duterte administration. The Philippines has gained notoriety for the brutal conduct of its war on drugs." — LBG/DVM, GMA News