Duterte rubbishes claims of illegal killings, rejects advice of 'idiot' ex-Colombia president

Manila

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte made a vigorous defence of his war on drugs on Wednesday, rejecting not only allegations of extrajudicial killings, but also the advice of a former Colombian leader who urged him not to repeat his mistakes.

The ex-prosecutor promised to stand behind those on the front lines of his war and called Cesar Gaviria an "idiot" for a newspaper article in which the former Colombian president warned Mr Duterte that a security-centred approach would "do more harm than good".