Recently elected Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has garnered international attention for attacking United States President Barack Obama along with taking a hardline stand on drug trafficking and crimes, has brought more attention to himself for threatening to leave the UN in late August.

Speaking in the southern city of Davao, President Duterte lashed out against the United Nations after the organization’s Drugs and Crime office publicly condemned the new president’s harsh anti-drug stance. The Secretary General of the United Nations has also condemned the harsh punishments vetted out.

Under the new president, the killing of drug traffickers has skyrocketed as President Duterte has made fighting the drug problem in his country a major priority. In the past couple of years, the Philippines has seen a surge in addicts who have been using Shabu, or when translated into English, Methamphetamine aka Meth.

“I do not want to insult you”, President Duterte said in reference to the United Nations in his speech on August 21st.  “But maybe we’ll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations” the President continued making his threat toward the UN.

The Philippines is seen as a key player in an important part of the world, the South China Sea, as it attempts to combat both the drug problem, and also an increase in terrorist attacks from radicalized Islamic groups since 2000. Many of the attacks have been orchestrated by the Abu Sayyaf a group of Islamic radicals that came into existence since 1991 and has grown exponentially since then. Abu Sayyaf leader Isniton Totoni Hapilon recently swore an oath to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The attacks by Abu Sayyaf along with the drug problem have increased unrest and turmoil in an already troubled country which sees many of its citizens living in poverty, coupled with a relatively high unemployment rate. The latest available stats  for unemployment in the country, show that 6.1% of Philippine residents are unemployed. Philippine residents also live on one of the lowest incomes in the Pacific region, living on $4,700 annually.

“So take us out of your organization”, President Duterte continued in his statement. “You have done nothing. Where were you here the last time? Never. Except to criticize.” Mr. Duterte continued lashing out at the organization for criticizing his cracking down on the drug epidemic.

Some other drugs that the country has been  struggling with include, Heroin, Cocaine and Ecstasy. The addicts not only harm themselves by using the drugs, but also their usage has external effects in their homes and in the community as domestic assault has been associated with the addicts along with the increase in crimes in communities as addicts try and find a quick source for income to supply their fix.

Since the violence from Abu Sayyaf has escalated, nearly 7,000 citizens have fled their homes. Many of the incidents occurring in the Southern part of the country. “We will die here”, Abdulbaki Kadari, an evacuee said regarding the increasing threat. “We cannot wait for them, we need to eat and we feel ashamed relying on our good neighbors.”

An estimated 2,400  drug users and dealers have been killed since President Duterte took power and started his war on drugs.

The UN’s office of Drugs and Crime issued a statement saying President Duterte essentially has endorsed extrajudicial killings. The UN issued a statement, saying it condemned the President’s “apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killings, which is a illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms.”

In conclusion, the President of the Philippines should have the right to do what he thinks is the right thing for his country and he feels will improve his country’s welfare. But he should rethink the extrajudicial killings and allow for a system of law and order to rule his country and give even the worst of people the right to a fair trial. The people of the Philippines deserve as much.

Links to sources:

1. BBC Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37147630
2. Time.com Link: https://time.com/4478954/philippines-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war-vigilante-killing-deaths/
3. CNN Link: https://www.cnn.com/2016/08/21/asia/philippines-duterte-threatens-to-leave-un/
4. Philstar.com drug problem story: https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2016/08/28/1617987/how-serious-our-drug-problem
5. The Jakarta Post: https://www.thejakartapost.com/seasia/2016/07/10/7000-flee-abu-sayyaf-attacks-in-southern-philippines.html
6. Trading Economics, Philippines Unemployment Rate: https://www.tradingeconomics.com/philippines/unemployment-rate
7. Alcohol Rehab, Philippines section: https://alcoholrehab.com/drug-addiction/drug-addiction-in-the-philippines/