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After being called a pedophile, Gascon tells Duterte: Elevate public discourse

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Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/09/16/duterte-gascon-compo-2017-091517.jpg"/><figcaption>President Rodrigo Duterte and Commission on Human Rights chairman Chito Gascon. File/Composite</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte should elevate public discourse instead of hurling &quot;below-the-belt&quot; rhetoric against critics, the head of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said Monday.Duterte over the weekend taunted CHR chairman Chito Gascon, asking if he was a pedophile because of his focus on the <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/15/17/chr-alarmed-over-spate-of-teen-deaths">killing of teenagers</a> in the government&#x27;s bloody war on drugs.The President also accused Gascon of attacking the administration because of his affiliation with the once ruling Liberal Party.&quot;Siguro tayong lahat naman, nasanay na rin tayo sa mga salitang medyo masakit at medyo below-the-belt mula sa bibig ng Presidente. Pero umaasa po tayo na baka sakali sa usaping pambansa ay sa level ng marangal na usapin,&quot; Gascon told DZMM.(All of us have perhaps become used to the President&#x27;s hurtful and below-the-belt speech. But we still hope that national discourse could be elevated to the level of honorable dialogue.)&quot;Sabi ko nga, kung pwede ma-withdraw ni Presidente ang mga ganoong masakit na pananalita para mayroon naman tayong common breathing space na kahit hindi tayo nagkakaunawaan, maaaring mayroong dialogue.&quot;(Perhaps the President could withdraw his hurtful statements so we could have a common breathing space where we could have dialogues even if we do not agree with each other.)<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TsRz6bVb2kU" width="560"></iframe></figure>The CHR chief earlier asked Duterte to withdraw his &quot;hurtful&quot; name-calling. He added that he has not been involved in any partisan activity since being tasked to perform human rights programs in 2014.Gascon also rejected calls for his resignation, saying he needs to defend his agency&#x27;s independence amid the current &quot;external pressure.&quot;&quot;I will stand my ground, I will not abandon my watch,&quot; he vowed.Gascon also said he is ready to defend the CHR&#x27;s proposed P678 million budget, which congressmen <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/09/13/17/how-chr-practically-lost-its-budget">slashed to P1,000</a> last week.CHR&#x27;s budget is set be forwarded to the Senate plenary for another round of deliberations. If the upper chamber comes up with a different version of the budget, this will be reconciled with the House version through a bicameral conference committee.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/13/17/hope-remains-for-p678-m-chr-budget">Hope remains for P678-M CHR budget</a></li></ul>

President Rodrigo Duterte should elevate public discourse instead of hurling "below-the-belt" rhetoric against critics, the head of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said Monday.

President Rodrigo Duterte should elevate public discourse instead of hurling "below-the-belt" rhetoric against critics, the head of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said Monday.

After being called a pedophile, Gascon tells Duterte: Elevate public discourse

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After being called a pedophile, Gascon tells Duterte: Elevate public discourse

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 18, 2017 10:39 AM PHT

|

Updated Sep 18, 2017 11:39 AM PHT

Read More:

DZMM

Chito Gascon

Rodrigo Duterte

Human Rights

war on drugs

CHR

CHR budget

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