Pubdate: Fri, 10 Jun 2016 Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines) Copyright: 2016 Philippine Daily Inquirer Contact: http://www.inquirer.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1073 UN CHIEF SLAMS DUTERTE Ban Condemns Digong's 'Endorsement of Extrajudicial Killings' UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned incoming Philippine President Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte's apparent support of extrajudicial killings, voicing particular concern over his comments seen as justifying murdering journalists. "I unequivocally condemn his apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killings, which is illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms," Ban said in a statement posted on the UN website. "Such comments are of particular concern in light of on-going impunity for serious cases of violence against journalists in the Philippines," the statement quoted Ban as telling UN correspondents at a New York reception on Wednesday. Last week, Duterte launched a profanity-laced tirade against the United Nations. "Fuck you UN, you can't even solve the Middle East carnage... couldn't even lift a finger in Africa... shut up all of you," he said. He made the comments as he expressed irritation at criticism voiced by foreign and local media groups over his remarks about killing journalists. On Wednesday, Duterte also told off two UN rapporteurs who had called him out on his statements about the media killings. "It seems to me you are adept at fumigation, sometimes aka (also known as) foul or idiocy," he said, referring to UN officials Cristof Heyns and David Kaye. "Go home and get some sleep. You are overworked and sound beat," he said. Ban's comments were the most critical from any world leader about Duterte since he won the election. Duterte will be sworn into office on June 30. Ban promised to "continue to defend the rights of journalists and to do everything possible, publicly and privately, to ensure that journalists have the freedom to work." "I am pleased to say that our efforts behind the scenes to free detained journalists have had some success, although we cannot speak publicly about specific cases," he said. Law-and-order platform Duterte won last month's elections by a landslide largely due to an explosive law-and-order platform in which he pledged to end crime within six months by killing tens of thousands of suspected criminals. He has since offered large bounties to security forces as well as the general public to kill drug traffickers. "If they are there in your neighborhood, feel free to call us, the police or do it yourself if you have [a] gun. You have my support," he told a weekend rally in his hometown, Davao City. Duterte also told reporters last week that journalists who took bribes or engaged in other corrupt activities deserved to die. "Even if you're a journalist you are not exempted from assassination, if you're a son of a bitch," he added. Duterte raised the case of Jun Pala, a journalist and politician whose 2003 murder, like scores of other cases, has never been solved. "I do not want to diminish his memory but he was a rotten son of a bitch. He deserved it," Duterte added. He never said it? Duterte's spokesperson Salvador Panelo told AFP earlier this week the President-elect never said killing reporters was justified. "What he said is there were instances where journalists were killed because of corruption.... He recognizes the fact that there are many instances where journalists are killed because of their advocacies," Panelo added. Duterte on Saturday also lambasted a local journalist, accusing him of "impertinence" when he questioned him about his health, asking to see his medical certificate. "The son of a bitch.... What if I asked him, 'How's the vagina of your wife? Is it smelly or not smelly?'" Duterte said. The journalist, who was named by Duterte, later said the question had been asked by another reporter. - -AFP - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom