MANILA: Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out on Friday at European Union critics of his bloody anti-narcotics campaign, threatening to “slap” them.
It is the latest of the leader’s near-daily diatribe against the United States, EU and the United Nations while heaping praise on China and Russia.
“Come here and we will talk because I want to slap you,” Duterte said in a speech during celebrations of Women’s Day at the presidential palace late on Friday.
Duterte scoffed at the bloc for recommending the Philippines build “clinics around like in other countries, and give shabu, cocaine and heroin like in Holland.”
The Southeast Asian leader lashed out on the EU last week for hypocrisy and called the bloc “sons of bitches” for recommending a rehabilitation-centered solution to the drugs problem.
More than 8,000 people have been killed since Duterte took power on June 30 last year, with police taking responsibility for a third of those deaths, citing self-defense during anti-narcotics operations.
The government rejects local and international human rights groups’ allegations that police are involved in thousands of mysterious deaths.
Duterte castigated the EU for believing reports of non-government groups that tag the leader for the killings. “Even if it’s just epilepsy, they count it against me,” he said, to the laughter of the crowd.
Duterte boasted of his new-found friendship with China, which had been embroiled in a territorial spat with the Philippines before Duterte took office.
As for Russia, Duterte said he plans to make it the trade gateway for Eastern Europe.
(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales)
Philippines’ Duterte invites EU critics, wants to ‘slap them’
Philippines’ Duterte invites EU critics, wants to ‘slap them’
UK court jails Christian camp leader for drugging, sexually abusing boys
- Ruben admitted offenses relating to ill-treatment of children and sexual abuse — as well as to drugging his wife, who was volunteering at the camp, in order to avoid detection
LONDON: A court in England on Friday jailed a man for more than 31 years for drugging and sexually abusing young boys at a Christian summer camp he led last summer.
Police say they are now talking to other groups he worked with in the past as part of an ongoing investigation.
Former vet Jon Ruben, 76, was leading the camp last July, said a statement from prosecutors released after Friday’s judgment.
He laced sweets with sedatives and tricked children at the camp into eating them by encouraging them to take part in a game.
“Later on, while the boys were heavily asleep, he went into their dormitory and chose individual boys to sexually abuse them,” said prosecutors.
Volunteers at the camp in Leicestershire, central England, raised the alarm after finding the children still nauseous, drowsy and disoriented the next day.
Eight boys aged between eight and 11 were taken to hospital and Ruben was arrested.
Investigators found syringes and sedatives at the camp location.
On his devices they found indecent images of children as well as evidence he had procured tranquilizer drugs and tried to join an online paedophile network.
Ruben admitted offenses relating to ill-treatment of children and sexual abuse — as well as to drugging his wife, who was volunteering at the camp, in order to avoid detection.
A court in Leicester sentenced him on Friday to a total of 31 years and 10 months behind bars under special provisions for defendants designated by prosecutors as particularly dangerous.
Leicestershire police said the investigation into Ruben was still “very much ongoing.”
Officers are contacting schools and youth organizations in central England with whom Ruben was involved with over the past two decades.
