– President Duterte reminded the world that what the Philippines needs as a sovereign nation are equality, fairness, and mutual respect and not special treatment or intervention from so-called friends who do not want to be bound by rules they established themselves.
Duterte expressed hope that other countries would allow Filipinos to govern themselves in the manner they prefer. “They see what they want to see to justify their preconceived notions, and not trying to understand that what truly is happening is there in my country. Is this how friends treat each other?” he asked.
According to Duterte, the acts of such countries weaken the Philippines’ ability to protect law-abiding citizens from the outlaws. “They create rules and norms for almost everyone, and some refuse to be bound by the same,” he added, citing the likes of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea , the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and even the Convention on the Rights of the Child.