Charles Teves
During the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) resumed investigation into former president Rodrigo Duterte’s violent war on drugs, Senator Jinggoy Estrada resorted to calling the representatives names.
In a privileged speech delivered on February 22, Estrada used the term “puting unggoy” (white monkeys) to refer to ICC personnel and called for them to be banned from entering the Philippines.
“Kung sino man ang pinapapunta ng ICC dito sa ating bansa, kung sino mang Poncio Pilato prosecutor, itong mga puting unggoy na ito, hindi na dapat papasukin pa sa ating bansa because that will be an exercise in futility,” the senator said.
WATCH: Tinawag ni Sen. Jinggoy Estrada na mga “puting unggoy” at “dayuhang unggoy” ang mga taga-International Criminal Court na gustong mag-imbestiga sa drug war ng Duterte administration. | via @nimfaravelo pic.twitter.com/07lHur0qy6
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) February 22, 2023
“I am confident that the Department of Justice is not remiss in its primary mission to uphold the rule of law. We should trust the justice system,” Estrada added.
Netizens clowned Estrada over his remarks.
https://twitter.com/suzy899/status/1628613565136637952?s=20
https://twitter.com/leisbeth_recto/status/1628353239136739329?s=20
https://twitter.com/PinoyAkoBlog/status/1628553271634989056?s=20
https://twitter.com/arthos3/status/1628765039997108224?s=20
Yung tawagin mong unggoy ang mga may mataas na pinag aralan kaysa saiyo! sobrang malala na ang utak mo Jinggoy unggoy…
— Htey (@mayeth94469263) February 23, 2023
https://twitter.com/ToniSpeakEasy/status/1628369560243179520?s=20
HAYOP TONG SI UNGGOY ESTE JINGGOY PALA, PUTING UNGGOY DAW ITONG MGA EUROPEAN HUMAS RIGHTS NA PUMUNTA DITO, HINDI NANAHIYA ANG AN@K NG PUTA PUTING UNGGOY DAW EH SIYA UNGGOY NA MAGNANAKAW AT DALAWANG BESES NANG NAKULONG ANG AN@K NG@PUT@ DAHILSA PAGNANAKAW, MAG AMA SILAN MGA KAWATAN
— Morning Girl (@frenchfernande2) February 23, 2023
Previously, the ICC’s pre-trial chamber granted permission to Prosecutor Karim Khan to restart his inquiry into the drug war that resulted in the deaths of numerous Filipinos.
According to government data, the number of individuals killed in police anti-illegal drug operations reached at least 6,252 as of May 2022, a month before Duterte departed from the presidency.
However, this figure excludes those killed through vigilante means, which human rights organizations estimate to be between 27,000 to 30,000.
Several legislators submitted resolutions calling on Congress to express unwavering support for Duterte, while Estrada submitted a resolution urging opposition to any ICC investigation.
