'I certainly believe, very strongly, that a man with the human rights record of President Duterte should not be invited to the White House,' a US lawmaker says

MANILA, Philippines – Two US lawmakers slammed Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in a hearing on Thursday, July 20, about alleged abuses in the war on drugs waged by the Philippine government. The hearing is scheduled at 10 pm on Thursday in Manila (10 am Thursday in Washington DC). He was speaking at a Palace news briefing hours after the end of the public hearing of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in Washington DC. McGovern is co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, along with Congressman Randy Hultgren of the 14th district of Illinois, who also hosted Thursday's hearing. Panelists include the following:

Ellecer Carlos, spokesperson, iDEFEND, Philippines

Matthew Wells, senior crisis advisor, Amnesty International

Phelim Kine, deputy director, Asia Division, Human Rights Watch

Hours before the hearing, Malacañang urged US lawmakers to consider "all sides" of the issue. "Insinuations and hasty judgements have no place in due process," Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said. The hearing comes after two US senators in May filed a bill restricting the export of certain weapons and equipment from the US to the Philippine National Police as a consequence of Duterte's anti-drug campaign. "No other country – I repeat that, 'no other country' – comes to mind where people are assassinated on the streets in the name of fighting drugs, and leaders brag about it as a good thing," he added.
A hearing in the U.S. Senate is held about alleged human rights violations in the Philippines's war against illegal drugs.