MANILA, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday that representatives from the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) are welcome to probe the drug-related killings in the Philippines.
"Come to the Philippines," Duterte said in a speech before troops and policemen in a military camp in Cagayan de Oro.
"I will write them a letter to invite them for an investigation," said Duterte.
Duterte on Tuesday slammed the EU parliament for issuing a statement calling for the government to "put an end to the current wave of extrajudicial executions and killings in the Philippines."
Specifically, the EU parliament expressed concern over what it described as "extraordinary high numbers killed during police operations."
Duterte on Wednesday demanded the EU to show him some respect because he is the president of the Philippines, and not a city mayor anymore.
Duterte has earlier lambasted the UN, the United States and its President Barack Obama for voicing concern over the spate of drug-related killings.
Duterte, who took office June 30, is waging an all-out war against illicit drugs and criminality in the country.
From July 1, police statistics showed more than 3,313 suspected drug paddlers and users have been killed. The police have carried out nearly 19,000 police operations that led to the arrests of more than 18,000 drug suspects. More than 700,000 drug suspects have also surrendered, the police said.
