Philippines’ crime war a risk for economy: S&P

AFP, MANILA: President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on crime is threatening the Philippines’ economy and endangering its democratic institutions, international credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s warned yesterday.
S&P maintained its stable outlook for the Philippines, but highlighted a range of “weaknesses” under the new Duterte administration that also included his foreign policy and national security statements.
“The president has a strong focus on improving ‘law and order’, which has allegedly resulted in numerous extrajudicial killings since he came to power,” S&P said.
“This could undermine respect for the rule of law and human rights through the direct challenges it presents to the legitimacy of the judiciary, media and other democratic institutions.
“When combined with the president’s policy pronouncements elsewhere on foreign policy and national security, we believe that the stability and predictability of policymaking has diminished somewhat.”
Duterte won elections in a landslide in May after vowing an unprecedented crackdown on illegal drugs in which 100,000 people would die.
About 3,000 people have been killed since he took office on June 30. About a third of the victims were shot dead by police and the rest murdered by unidentified attackers, according to official statistics.
Duterte, 71, has vowed to ignore a wave of international condemnation over the killing spree, with US President Barack Obama, the European Parliament and the United Nations among the many critics.
He has typically used abusive language in responding to the criticism, branding Obama a “son of a whore” and UN chief Ban Ki-moon a “fool”, and lifting his middle finger while saying “fuck you” to the European Parliament.

Philippines crime war a risk for economy: S&P

AFP, MANILA: President Rodrigo Dutertes deadly war on crime is threatening the Philippines economy and endangering its democratic institutions, international credit rating agency Standard and Poors warned yesterday. SP maintained its stable outlook for the Philippines, but highlighted a range of weaknesses under the new Duterte administration that also included his foreign policy and national security statements. The president has a strong focus on improving law and order, which has allegedly resulted in numerous extrajudicial killings since he came to power, SP said. This could undermine respect for the rule of law and human rights through the direct challenges it presents to the legitimacy of the judiciary, media and other democratic institutions. When combined with the presidents policy pronouncements elsewhere on foreign policy and national security, we believe that the stability and predictability of policymaking has diminished somewhat. Duterte won elections in a landslide in May after vowing an unprecedented crackdown on illegal drugs in which 100,000 people would die. About 3,000 people have been killed since he took office on June 30. About a third of the victims were shot dead by police and the rest murdered by unidentified attackers, according to official statistics. Duterte, 71, has vowed to ignore a wave of international condemnation over the killing spree, with US President Barack Obama, the European Parliament and the United Nations among the many critics. He has typically used abusive language inresponding to the criticism, branding Obama a son of a whore and UN chief Ban Ki-moon a fool, and lifting his middle finger while saying fuck you to the European Parliament.