The Philippine government has rejected a UN report for what it called "faulty conclusions" about increasing human rights violations.
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The UN Human Rights Office said violations in the Philippines have become more acute as President Rodrigo Duterte's "incendiary" language encourages the use of violent force in countering national security threats and illegal drugs.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that while the government notes the recommendations by the UN Human Rights Office, it "cannot commit to their full implementation given the faulty conclusions on which they were premised."
Roque cited the report's premise that drug suspects were being killed without due process or detained arbitrarily, and that Filipinos' civic rights were being destroyed by the focus on public order and national security.
"We firmly reject these conclusions," he said in a statement. "That being said, the government will continue to respect its international legal obligations, including human rights."
He added that while the government will ensure rights guaranteed by the constitution, it also has the duty to maintain the rule of law and to deal with any offences to protect the majority of Filipinos.
The UN report released Thursday said that while official figures indicate that at least 8,663 people have been killed since the Philippines launched its campaign against illegal drugs in 2016,some estimates put the real toll at more than triple that number.
Australian Associated Press
