‘Impeach me, I’ll jail you’: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte dares foes to test him

The firebrand leader vented his anger amid accusations he is siding with China over a June 9 sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel in Philippines waters

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Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has dared his foes to impeach him, threatening to jail them. Photo: EPA

Published: 2:55pm, 28 Jun 2019Updated: 10:17pm, 28 Jun 2019

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to jail critics if they try to impeach him, the latest in what a top UN official and an Asian lawmakers’ group this week called a pattern of persecution and assaults on free speech.

The leader vented his anger late on Thursday amid intense media scrutiny and accusations he is siding with China over a June 9 sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel, which happened inside Manila’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Duterte has echoed Beijing’s line it was an accident, not an intentional ramming, and dismissed the presence of Chinese fishermen inside the Philippine EEZ, saying he would allow it out of friendship.

A protester burns mock Chinese flags at Manila's Rizal park, Philippines. Photo: AP

Some high-profile critics, among them a top judge and a former foreign minister, have called that a breach of the constitution, or worthy of his impeachment.

“Me? Will be impeached? I will jail them all,” Duterte told reporters.

“Try to do it and I will do it. Son of a b....,” he added. “I tell these stupid people, I said I deal with reality.”