Investigate President Duterte for killings: UN rights chief to Philippines

Manila: The UN Human Rights Commission chief has asked Philippines’ authorities to investigate President Rodrigo Duterte for murder after he claimed to have killed people in the past and also look into the "shocking number of killings" under his brutal crackdown on illegal drugs which has left more than 6,000 people dead.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement issued in Geneva on Tuesday that Philippine judicial authorities "must demonstrate their commitment to upholding the rule of law and their independence from the executive by launching a murder investigation," adding it's "unthinkable for any functioning judicial system not to launch investigative and judicial proceedings when someone has openly admitted being a killer."

Such calls have enraged Duterte and will likely face opposition from his officials.