Philippines president blasts US for police shootings of black men

The president of the Philippines blasted the United States over police shootings of unarmed black men, hitting back at critics of his government’s violent crackdown on drugs.

“Why are you Americans killing the black people there, shooting them down when they are already on the ground?” President Rodrigo Duterte asked during a two-hour press conference, The Associated Press reported.

{mosads}”Answer that question, because even if it’s just one or two or three, it is still human rights violations.”

Duterte also threatened to withdraw from the United Nations and hammered the international community’s Syria policy.

His comments come amid growing criticism from international officials and the U.S. about killings of suspected drug dealers by Philippine law enforcement. Duterte was elected on promises to take on drugs, but critics say those in custody are killed by police without due process.

Duterte has bristled at that criticism and hit back at those questioning him over human rights.

He also called the U.N. “stupid” and suggested he could form a rival international organization.

“Maybe we’ll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations. If you’re that rude, son of a bitch, we’ll just leave you,” he said.

Duterte’s anti-drug efforts have left more than 500 suspected dealers dead and over 4,000 in prison since he took office in June, according to the AP.