"At the age of 16, I already killed someone. A real person, a rumble, a stabbing. I was just 16 years old. It was just over a look. How much more now that I am president?" Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has stated, speaking to a local community in the Vietnamese city of Da Nang, which is hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
The Philippine leader has also lashed out at a UN rights rapporteur and threatened to slap her if he met her.
Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016 on promises to end drug-related crimes in the country. Shortly after being sworn in, Duterte launched a large-scale campaign aimed at fighting drug dealers and traffickers. During the campaign, thousands of people have been killed by police, sparking criticism from the international community and human rights watchdogs.
In particular, Duterte's statement, saying he would be "happy to slaughter" drug addicts, as well as the use of obscene language to slam then US President Barack Obama over criticism of the ongoing "war on drugs" in the country, have sparked controversy.
