Philippines' Duterte Criticizes Putin Over Ukraine Killings
The Facts
On Mon., Philippine Pres. Duterte urged Russian Pres. Putin to take action to prevent the killing of innocent civilians in Ukraine.
He described the conflict as a war against a "sovereign nation" and blamed the invasion for the spike in global oil prices. However, he also emphasized that he wasn't condemning the Russian leader.
The Spin
Narrative A
Regardless of his effort to detach himself from the Russian leader, Duterte is no different from Putin, a man who he idolizes and calls a friend. His anti-drug policy has led to the deaths of thousands and the ICC is rightly investigating him for crimes against humanity.
Narrative B
Duterte is rightly concerned about the suffering of innocent people and his statements reflect his intention to advise a long-time friend and ally to retake control of delinquent forces for the sake of civilian lives.
