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PH risks 'global isolation' in withdrawing from UN

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<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wL_hvyJBFVQ" width="420"></iframe></figure>The Philippines withdrawing from the United nations will have serious implications, including global isolation, a former envoy warned on Monday.Former Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Lauro Baja Jr., warned that the withdrawal, which President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to do, will &quot;risk global isolation&quot; because the United Nations is a universal organization.&quot;It’s [United Nations] a convenient tool box for every nation to go to in case of global, regional, or even national concerns,&quot; he said on Mornings @ ANC Monday.He added, the Philippines is a charter member of the organization, which has helped draft the charter, and whose participation has been &quot;recognized and acknowledged.&quot;Apart from the isolation, Baja said by either withdrawing membership or withdrawing support from the United Nations, the Philippines will also risk having the international organization&#x27;s support in peacekeeping.&quot;Our participation in the peacekeeping operations may be suspended or stopped, and our participation in various projects of the UN may be affected,&quot; he said.Baja pointed out, the UN organization &quot;is not only composed of the general assembly and the Security Council.&quot;&quot;There are various specialized agencies and bodies to which the Philippines runs to for aid, for grants, for help, and other activities, and I expect and hope the President realizes this,&quot; he added.Duterte on Sunday railed against the United Nations after it called for an end to the wave of killings unleashed by his war on drugs, saying he might leave the organization and invite China and others to form a new one.READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/21/16/duterte-threatens-to-quit-un-after-drugs-war-censure">Duterte threatens to quit U.N. after drugs war censure</a>Two UN human rights experts last week urged Manila to stop the extra-judicial executions and killings that have escalated since Duterte won the presidency on a promise to wipe out drugs.READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/18/16/un-experts-nix-dutertes-license-to-kill">UN experts nix Duterte&#x27;s &#x27;license to kill&#x27;</a>Baja said, though there are many reasons that a nation is suspended from the United Nations, a withdrawal is still unprecedented.But he agreed, that indeed, the comments from Dr. Agnes Callamard and Mr. Dainius Puras were &quot;mostly uncalled for and uninformed.&quot;“I heard the president is willing to let them come in and see for themselves. It’s very difficult to be objective from thousands of miles away,&quot; he said.READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/17/16/duterte-blasts-un-for-interference">Duterte blasts UN for &#x27;interference&#x27;</a>Also part of the UN&#x27;s mandate is to investigate the extrajudicial killings that their rapporteurs reported, but not without the invitation from the Philippines, Baja maintained.“It’s up to the Philippine government to either invite them, or contest them, or do whatever needs to be done to counter whatever conclusions or findings they will have,&quot; he said.&quot;Their coming to the Philippines is a prerogative of the Philippines whether to invite or accept them,&quot; he added.READ: U<a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/20/16/un-not-invited-to-probe-duterte-drug-war-spokesman-says">N not invited to probe Duterte drug war, spokesman says</a>If they do come and investigate, Baja said the Philippines &quot;may contradict or contest whatever findings this special rapporteur they have when they’re in the Philippines.&quot;However, if the findings of the special rapporteurs are confirmed, it is unlikely that the country will be sanctioned for them.&quot;The worst case scenario would be possible sanctions which is very highly unlikely. Sanctions are not really imposed unless for very severe instances,&quot; he said.&quot;Maybe criticism which we can—whether true facts are presented—we can do a counteral whatever [on] adverse findings they will possibly find,&quot; he added.<div>UN IS USELESS?</div>Baja also responded to Duterte&#x27;s criticism that the U.N. is a useless body because it has failed to combat hunger and terrorism and was unable to end the killing of civilians in Iraq and Syria.He said, while there may be some instances wherein UN is unable to counter various issues, that is &quot;a fact of the UN&quot;, and is &quot;a fact in international relations.&quot;&quot;Remember, the United Nations, really, is not a world government which can enforce every resolution or every comment or every finding of its bodies,&quot; he said.&quot;The position or the attitude of the Philippines is to accept the United Nations as it is, to use it to its advantage, and not to be too sensitive, too serious about pronouncements from UN officials,&quot; he said.Baja asserted, Duterte&#x27;s strong language against international officials may have some repercussions, but they will not be grave.&quot;Somehow after its utterances, some explanations, or more sober words are pronounced and he the international community and other states must view whatever the president said in this context,&quot; he said.He added, other states would understand Duterte&#x27;s statements &quot;in context of his mission, in the context of his objective, in the context of what is happening to the Philippines.&quot;&quot;I’m sure other national concerns of other countries are abhorring like that, but the difference is they don’t have a leader who speaks mostly off the cuff—maybe rhetorical, but just the same, those are words coming from the president,&quot; he said.

The Philippines withdrawing from the United nations will have serious implications, including global isolation, a former envoy warned on Monday.

The Philippines withdrawing from the United nations will have serious implications, including global isolation, a former envoy warned on Monday.