Impeach me, I'll jail you: Philippines' Duterte dares rivals

Friday, 28 June 2019 15:14

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened rivals with prison if they try to impeach him.

Duterte vented his anger late Thursday amid intense media scrutiny after the Philippines fell in line with Beijing’s explanation that a Chinese vessel didn’t intentionally hit a Filipino boat in the South China Sea on June 9.

Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday described the incident as "just an accident".

A top UN official and an Asian lawmakers' group this week called this an assault on free speech.

This comes as Duterte's popularity and mandate have been bolstered by a recent midterm election.

More from International News

US military says it turned away blockade runner trying to reach Iranian port

The US military has announced that it fired a missile into the engine room of a vessel trying to get through the US blockade of Iran on Friday.
Jubilant PSG supporters spill onto Paris streets, some clash with police

Paris police deployed thousands of officers to control crowds at some of the city's hot spots, using teargas and arresting dozens following the win of the city's football club Paris St Germain in Saturday's Champions League final.
WHO chief urges safe burials in visit to heart of Ebola outbreak

The World Health Organisation (WHO) chief has travelled on Saturday to the Congolese province hardest hit by an Ebola outbreak, urging residents to seek treatment and practice safe burials as officials scramble to contain the fatal disease.
Rescuers pull four from flooded cave in Laos

Rescuers pulled four people from a flooded cave in Laos on Saturday, Thai volunteers said, hours after another man was brought out late on Friday.