Callamard hits back: UN visit not a vehicle for politicking

MANILA, Philippines — Agnes Callamard, United Nations special rapporteur on summary executions, justified why the conditions of President Rodrigo Duterte for an official visit to the Philippines are unacceptable.

The UN rapporteur made the statement following the resumption of the president's tirades against her. On Wednesday, Duterte once again assailed Callamard for refusing to have a public debate with him on the country's drug problem.

“Pumunta ka dito. Ayaw naman makipag-debate. Kasi kung makipag-debate ‘yan, in five questions, gawain kong t**** ‘yang buang na ‘yan (Come here. But she does not want to have a debate. In five questions, I will make that crazy look like a fool),” Duterte said.

In a Twitter post, Callamard reposted a link to a December 2016 article on why she rejected the conditions of Duterte for a fact-finding mission on the so-called war on drugs.

Why Pent Duterte's conditions for my official vist to the #Philippines are unacceptable (1): https://t.co/ReaXM2XYMN

— Agnes Callamard (@AgnesCallamard) August 30, 2017

READ: UN rapporteur rejects Duterte's conditions on EJK probe

Callamard was supposed to visit the Philippines early this year but Duterte challenged her to a public debate, which is not the appropriate forum to discuss such matters.

"An official visit without respect for the victims, respect for the law, respect for due process would be unacceptable," Callamard said.

"An official visit is not a vehicle for entertainment, theatrics or politicking," she added.

Earlier this week, Duterte chided Callamard for her statement on the killing of teenage student Kian delos Santos where she called the government's anti-drug campaign a "cruel war."

Duterte then reminded Callamard that the Philippines is not under the jurisdiction of France, her country. The president also wrongly cited French laws claiming that “They can detain a person almost indefinitely, under the French law. And the French law says you are guilty, and you have to prove your innocence."

The French Embassy in Manila has released a statement in response to Duterte's remarks, stressing that Paris believes in the importance of the rule of law.

"We have to point out that, as in the Philippines, the presumption of innocence until proven guilty is at the core of the French judicial system, based on the principles enshrined in the French Declaration of Human and Civic Rights of August 26, 1789," the French Embassy said in a statement.

UN special rapporteurs are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council. They are not staff members of the UN, and are therefore not receiving a salary, but are required to annually report to the council and the general assembly.

In 2007, then UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Philip Alston visited the Philippines to investigate the cases of killings during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

UN special rapporteur on human rights of internally displaced persons Chaloka Beyani visited the country in 2015 to look into the situation of IDPs in the country during the term of former President Benigno Aquino III.

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