appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

Agence France-Presse

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said he had cancelled a US$235 million contract to buy 16 helicopters from Canada after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government ordered a review over human rights concerns.
“I want to tell the armed forces to cut the deal. Do not proceed any more, and somehow we will look for another supplier,” he said of the deal for 16 Bell 412 EPI utility helicopters announced by the two governments this week.
Ottawa said on Thursday that the deal was under review due to concerns about the human rights record of Duterte.
The president is the subject of a complaint being considered by the International Criminal Court over the alleged “mass murder” of thousands of Filipino drug suspects - though Duterte said on Friday that he couldn’t be tried, and made veiled threats at a prosecutor.
Bell Helicopter said in an announcement of the deal that the aircraft were intended “for a variety of missions such as disaster relief, search and rescue, passenger transport and utility transport”.

However, Manila said they would also be used for “anti-terrorism” operations, including to evacuate soldiers wounded while fighting insurgents.
Philippine troops are battling militants in the Muslim south and communist guerillas in other parts of the mainly Catholic country.
Duterte said on Friday he respected Canada’s stand but added it was unavoidable that the Philippine air force would used the choppers “against the rebels and terrorists”.
Duterte says he can’t be tried for drug war deaths, threatens prosecutor
“Do not buy any more from Canada and the US because there is always a condition attached,” he said, referring to defence materiel. 
“If I cannot use the gunship, the helicopter, then I might as well surrender this government to [the rebels] ... The reason I’m buying helicopters is because I want to finish them off.”
Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Thursday that an “extremely rigorous human rights review” would be undertaken before any export permit was issued over the helicopter contract.

“The prime minister and I have been very clear about the Duterte regime’s human rights abuses and the extrajudicial killings,” she told parliament. “I have the authority to deny a permit if I feel that it poses a risk to human rights, and I am prepared to do so.”
Trudeau said in November he had spoken to Duterte about “human rights, the rule of law, and specifically extrajudicial killings”.
Hague weighing complaint against Duterte over drug war
Duterte, who has overseen a crackdown that is said to have left nearly 4,000 drug suspects dead, described Trudeau’s comments as “a personal and official insult”.
The Philippine government says police have only shot suspects in self-defence and rejects human rights groups’ claims the crackdown is a crime against humanity.


ICC chamber rules case against Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs killings to proceed

Philippine lawmakers examine gap in Sara Duterte’s bank statements, declared wealth

Without restraint, Beijing and Manila can’t deliver the South China Sea code

Jailed witness reveals Duterte plotted to oust Philippines’ Marcos

Rodrigo Duterte

Duterte says he wants to scrap Canada helicopter deal after Trudeau orders rights review

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo: Xinhua

Bell 412EPI helicopter. Photo: Bell helicopter

Chrystia Freeland, Canada's minister of foreign affairs, speaks during a joint press conference with Rex Tillerson, U.S. Secretary of State, and Luis Videgaray, Mexico's foreign minister, not pictured, in Mexico City, Mexico, on Friday, Feb. 2, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump has fomented with Mexico over the border wall and immigration, it was surprising to hear the country's foreign minister say ties are better than they've been for a long time. Photographer: Jonathan Levinson/Bloomberg

Duterte says he cannot be tried for 4,000 drug war killings – and threatens ‘comeuppance’ for prosecutor

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he speaks during a press conference in Davao City on Friday. He claimed that he cannot be subjected to a human rights investigation into the thousands of people killed extrajudicially in his drugs war. Photo: AFP

Police investigate drug paraphernalia discovered as a suspect (2nd R) covers his face after a drug raid in Manila on February 8, 2018. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs has left nearly 4,000 drug suspects dead and seen human rights groups claim he was responsible for a crime against humanity. The anti-drugs campaign enjoys popular support while the fiery-tongued Duterte has rejected any criticism of his human rights record. / AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS