PES president Sergei Stanishev said:
“Because we dared to criticise his inhuman methods in the fight against drugs, president Duterte is leading an open campaign against the EU and against European Progressives in particular. He is free to do so, but only the most cynical leaders would take their own population hostage. Many people will suffer if development aid from the EU is cut, many social and environmental projects would cease to exist. This would be an act of cruelty to the Philippine population”.
A joint mission of the Progressive Alliance and the PES visited the Philippines last October to denounce the thousands of extra judicial killings of alleged drug dealers, a trademark policy of president Duterte.
