‘You wouldn’t pose like that with a mass murderer’: Spy chief criticised over Duterte photo

The chief of Australia’s foreign spy agency has been accused of a “sickening” act, after fist-pumping with the Philippines’ controversial leader.

Key points:

• ASIS director-general Nick Warner “fist-pumped” with Rodrigo Duterte in photo
• Human Rights Watch says President should be charged with crimes against humanity
• The photo was a “serious misjudgement”, says deputy chairman of intelligence and security committee

ASIS director-general Nick Warner met Rodrigo Duterte at the presidential palace in Manila on Tuesday.

In a photo taken by the President’s staff, both are seen with their right hands in a fist — Mr Duterte’s trademark pose.

After assuming power last June, the 72-year-old politician’s drug crackdown has seen thousands of extrajudicial killings across the South-East Asian nation.

“I think a picture like this really does tend to sort of suggest Australia’s tacit support for these killings,” Human Rights Watch Australia director Elaine Pearson said.

“It’s sickening the head of Australia’s spy agency would pose for a photo effectively fist-pumping a leader who has instigated the killing of thousands of people in the so-called war on drugs.

“It really adds insult to injury to the Filipino victims and to the families of those who’ve been murdered in cold blood as part of this campaign.

Source: Spy boss accused of showing ‘tacit support’ for Philippines drug murders in photo with Rodrigo Duterte – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)