Duterte offers to hold human rights world summit

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday proposed an international human rights summit in his country, though one that would not focus specifically on allegations of police violence and extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.

“Let’s have a summit of how we can protect human rights for all human race,” he said at a news conference in Vietnam, where he’s attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, according to Reuters.

“What makes the death of people in the Philippines more important than the rest of the children in the world that were massacred and killed?” he asked.

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Duterte has faced criticism for his efforts to crack down on drugs in the Philippines. More than 3,900 people have been killed as part of Duterte’s crackdown, according to Reuters, though police have said the killings were in self-defense.

Critics, however, say Duterte has empowered police to murder suspected drug users and dealers with impunity. 

In his news conference Thursday, Duterte also threatened to ban two U.S. lawmakers, Reps. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.), both of whom have criticized Duterte’s alleged human rights violations and President Trump’s decision to invite him to Washington.

“I will tell them, you are too presumptuous. What made you think that I am even planning or thinking about visiting your country?” Duterte said, according to Reuters.