PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte confirmed Friday that he presented a picture of Moro people killed by American soldiers in the 1900s before the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) delegates, in a bid to get an explanation from United States (US) President Barack Obama.
In a speech delivered to Filipinos based in Jakarta, Indonesia, Duterte said the atmosphere at the time he showed the photo at the East Asia forum of the Asean summit on Thursday was "quiet."
Duterte said he brought up the killings of 600,000 Moro insurgents as he sought Obama's response on the violations of human rights committed by American colonizers.
"Since human right was mentioned, I produced a few pages with pictures in the pacification campaign by the Americans at the turn of century, 1900s," the President said.
“[Muslims] were murdered. They were just buried in the common pit. They just dug and the soldiers were leaning on the chest of naked women. This is human rights. What do you intend to do?” he added.
He maintained that he would not let anyone lecture him on how his administration cracks down on drug menace.
The President, in his pre-departure press conference held in Davao City on Monday, stressed that he would only allow Obama to talk about human rights if the latter is able to give an explanation on the massacre of Moro people.
“Can he (Obama) explain the 600,000 Moro massacre in this island? Do you want to see the picture? Maybe I’ll ask him and make it public. We have a recorded history of that sordid period of our national life…If you can answer that question and give the apology, I will answer his,” Duterte said.
While Duterte failed to disclose whether Obama had any reaction, the President said the incident in the past should not be taken as “water under the bridge.”
“They are silent because I am ready. I was waiting for Obama to respond,” Duterte said. (Sunnex)