Rodrigo Duterte rejects criticism from UN

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has rejected criticism from the United Nations about a surge in killings of suspected drug traffickers and denied government responsibility, his spokesman said.

About 900 suspected drug traffickers have been killed since Duterte came to power after winning a May election on a vow to wipe out drugs and warning traffickers they risked death if they did not mend their ways.

The United Nations this week called on the government to protect all people from targeted killing and extrajudicial executions.