‘It is a personal and official insult’: Duterte lashes out at Trudeau over drug war criticism

Justin Trudeau was the first leader attending this week’s ASEAN summit who has publicly said he brought the issue with the Filipino leader. Duterte is highly sensitive to such criticism.

The prime minister says the president of the Philippines was receptive to concerns he raised about human rights. Rodrigo Duterte’s violent crackdown on drug dealers and drug users by his government's forces has left thousands dead. (The Canadian Press)

By ANDY BLATCHFORD-Tues., Nov. 14, 2017

MANILA—Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he was angered and insulted on Tuesday by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comments about the Philippine government’s war on drugs, which has earned widespread condemnation for leaving thousands of suspects dead.

Speaking to reporters in Manila after a summit of Southeast Asian countries, Trudeau said he told Duterte about the need for the rule of law in the Philippines, and also made a friendly offer of support to help the Philippines move forward.

Trudeau said Duterte — whose violent crackdown on drug dealers and drug users by his government’s forces have left thousands dead — was receptive to the comments during what the Canadian prime minister called a very cordial and positive exchange.

Duterte, however, seemed to remember it differently.

“I said, ‘I will not explain. It is a personal and official insult,’” he told a news conference later Tuesday of his discussion with Trudeau. “‘It angers me when you are a foreigner, you do not know what exactly is happening in this country. You don’t even investigate.’”

Duterte is highly sensitive to such criticism, and in the past called then U.S. President Barack Obama a “son of a bitch” after the State Department publicly expressed concern over the Philippine anti-drug campaign.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, say he spoke with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on human rights in Manila on Monday.  (ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS)  

President Donald Trump, who also attended this week’s ASEAN summit, did not publicly take Duterte to task for the drug crackdown. Instead, Trump said he and Duterte “had a great relationship,” and avoided questions about whether he raised human rights concerns in a meeting with the Philippine leader.

The White House later said they discussed Daesh, also known as ISIS and ISIL, illegal drugs and trade during the 40-minute meeting. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said human rights came up “briefly” in the context of the Philippines’ fight against illegal drugs. She did not say if Trump was critical of Duterte’s program.

Harry Roque, Duterte’s spokesman, said there was no mention of human rights or extralegal killings during the meeting with Trump, but there was a lengthy discussion of the Philippines’ war on drugs, with Duterte doing most of the explaining.

The two sides later issued a statement saying they “underscored that human rights and the dignity of human life are essential, and agreed to continue mainstreaming the human rights agenda in their national programs.”

The foreign affairs minister says she shares “serious concerns” over human rights abuses in the Philippines. In Manila on Sunday, Chrystia Freeland said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is focused on attending ASEAN, an East Asian summit. (The Canadian Press)

The prime minister’s brief meeting with Duterte took place before Trudeau delivered a speech to members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in a bid for Canada to eventually join its exclusive, influential circles that focus on security in the Asia-Pacific.

For several years, Canada has been working to forge closer ties with ASEAN, including its East Asia Summit security grouping that includes leaders of the U.S., China and Russia.

The Canadian government asked the Philippines for an invitation to ASEAN and a working luncheon before this year’s East Asia Summit. It’s unclear how long it will take Canada to obtain a more-permanent status within ASEAN.

Francisco Fernandez of the Philippine embassy in Ottawa says Canada sought the invitation and Manila didn’t hesitate to grant it, partly because of trade and investment ties and partly due to the 837,000 people of Filipino descent who live in Canada.

It’s unclear how long it will take Canada to obtain a more-permanent status within ASEAN.

Trudeau, the first Canadian prime minister to participate in the summit, also highlighted Canada’s efforts to help the Rohingya Muslims in Burma, including its decision to appoint former Liberal MP Bob Rae as a special envoy to the region.

Trudeau also said Canada stands alongside Asia in demanding that North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

Even though Duterte helped Canada get a seat at a table, Trudeau said he still brought up concerns with the Philippine president.

“Countries around the world know that when you engage with Canada you will hear about human-rights concerns and we are the first to mention that we are not perfect, either.”

Trudeau said Indigenous peoples in Canada have suffered “neglect, marginalization and mistreatment” for centuries.

With files from The Associated Press