MANILA, Philippines –  “I will however state that perhaps, the UN High Commissioner’s language is because of the fact that they do not have democracy in his home state of Jordan.”

This was how Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque responded to the recent criticism of United Nations (UN) human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein against President Rodrigo Duterte. 

Zeid said Duterte needs “psychiatric evaluation” as he stood up for his colleagues – Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples Vicky Tauli Corpuz, who the government sought to be declared as a terrorist, and Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Agnes Callamard, who has been on the receiving end of Duterte’s tirades.

Roque, who once described Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as may tama (not right in the head) and told Callamard she’s welcome to swim in the polluted Pasig river, slammed Zeid’s use of “harsh language.”

“I reiterate that the language used by the High Commissioner is uncalled for. I’m very tempted to respond in similar language, but I have opted to restrain myself, opting not to respond in the same abominate used by the UN High Commissioner,” Roque said.

Roque instead retorted back with a criticism of his own: that Zeid’s home country of Jordan is undemocratic.

“I would hope that although you do not have the same democratic system in your home country of Jordan, you will respect the kind of democracy that we have in the Philippines,” Roque said.

He added: “Your language was not just an insult to the Philippines and the Filipino people, it is an insult to all countries who have democratically elected their heads of state.”

Roque was a known human rights lawyer before he became the mouthpiece of Malacañang. (READ: Harry Roque pirouettes for Duterte)

He stood by the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) petition seeking to declare 649 alleged communists as terrorists – including Corpuz.

Roque said the DOJ would not have included Corpuz if they had no evidence. He also told the UN to carefully select its rapporteurs in the future. – Rappler.com