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‘Go to hell,’ Philippines president Duterte tells UN human rights expert

Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines President, has told a UN human rights expert who said the judicial independence of the nation was under a threat to ‘go to hell’, warning against interference in the all domestic affairs.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte holds a Galil sniper rifle next to outgoing National Police Chief Ronald Bato Dela Rosa during a handover ceremony in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines, April 19, 2018. REUTERS/Dondi Tawatao/Files

The Supreme Court of the Philippine, voted on last month of the May, to remove Maria Lourdes Sereno, the Chief Justice, whom Duterte had called an “enemy” for voting against controversial government proposals, quote violations in the way she was selected.

Her removal from office is sending a chilling message to other supreme court judges and members of the judiciary, Diego García-Sayán, special UN rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, stated on the Friday.

“Tell him not to interfere with the affairs of my country. He can go to hell,” Duterte told a news conference late Saturday night, prior to leaving for an official visit to South Korea.

The outspoken Philippine leader is known for defying international pressure and his diatribes against critics.

In meticulous case, he has railed against Barack Obama , the former US President and UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, Agnes Callamard, for criticizing the bloody war on drugs, his signature public safety project.

The first chief justice, the Sereno, to be removed by her peers, had voted against the numerous of the Duterte’s proposals including the extension of martial rule in the volatile southern Philippines.

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