Roque says PH will not follow US withdrawal from UNHRC

FILE: Roque further noted that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is “very careful” to never comment on decisions of other states with regards on their sovereignty as he does not want other states commenting on the country’s domestic sovereign decisions (ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

After the United States (US) withdrew from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Philippine government said that it will not follow this move.

“If that’s the decision of the Americans, so be it.

We are also in the UN Human Rights Council. We are not following suit if that’s the question, but the President has no reaction on what the Americans decided to do,” Malacañang said through Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. in a press briefing on June 21, Thursday.

Roque further noted that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is “very careful” to never comment on decisions of other states with regards on their sovereignty as he does not want other states commenting on the country’s domestic sovereign decisions.

The spokesperson also said that the Duterte administration is not “alone” as it can reto with the decision of US President Donald Trump.

“Well I guess the latest decision of the US reflects as sentiment that the President himself has articulated and apparently we are not alone in this perception that there is bias in human rights groups,” he added.

However, the Philippine government maintains its decision to not follow.

The UNHRC has 47 Member States, and according to its website, the General Assembly elects the majority of these members by taking into account the contribution and promotion of the protection of the human rights in these states.

On Tuesday, through the US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, the US withdrew from the UNHRC, calling it a “cesspool of political bias.”

“Regrettably, it is now clear that our call for reform was not heeded,” she told reporters, adding that, “Human rights abusers continue to serve on, and be elected to the council.”

“The world’s most inhumane regimes continue to escape scrutiny and the council continues politicizing and scapegoating of countries with positive human rights records in an attempt to distract from the abusers in their ranks,” Haley continued.