TAGUM CITY, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte said that he would forego human rights obligations to maintain security if the Islamic State militants driven out from Syria and Iraq would attempt to make the country its safe haven.
“Once the terrorists of the Middle East are deprived of the land area, the real estate area where they can sleep… they will wander to other places and they will come here and we have to prepare for that,” Duterte said in a televised speech during the anniversary of law enforcement agency on Monday, Nov. 14.
Saying that Mindanao was a hotbed of terrorism, Duterte has warned of looming terrorism as the Abu Sayyaf had pledged allegiance to ISIS and noted that the bandit group is taking hostage almost every day.
“Remember, these guys, they do not have an iota of what is human rights, believe me. I will not just simply allow my people to be slaughtered for the sake of human rights, that’s bullshit,” the Mindanawon president pointed out.
Just last week, Duterte flirted with the idea of exercising his executive power to suspend the writ of habeas corpus to maintain peace and order across the country despite lawlessness.
The president’s statement on suspending a legal remedy against arbitrary arrest and detention did not sit well with human rights group in the country. (davaotoday.com)
