“Human rights must work to uplift human dignity. But human rights cannot be used as a shield or excuse to destroy the country,” Duterte said
He received a resounding applause after this statement addressing criticisms of human rights violations in the light of an increase in spate of killings since his administration started.
Duterte promised to continue his relentless war against drugs amid summary killings of suspected drug lords and pushers.
“We will not stop until the last drug lord, the last financer, have surrendered, put behind bars or below the ground if they so wish,” he said.