Duterte explains his remarks

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte clarified his remarks Wednesday, regarding French criminal law after France states it presumes one innocent until proven guilty.

In Monday's press conference, Duterte, a lawyer himself, said that in France, a person is guilty until proven innocent and that they can detain a person almost indefinitely.

"...And the French law says you are guilty, and you have to prove your innocence. Here, the presumption is you are innocent," Duterte said, according to Philippine Star.

Clarifying the president's statements, Duterte’s spokesperson Ernesto Abella said both the Philippines and France respect human rights and due process.

"The Philippines and France share the same values of respect for human rights, due process and accords primacy to the presumption of innocence," Abella said in a statement.

The President's statement expresses the sentiment that while no judicial or legal system in the world is perfect, countries are continuously working to refine their laws and improve their respective national systems in order to ensure protection of human rights while maintaining peace and order within its territory, Abella added.

On Wednesday, France rejected claims by Duterte that people were guilty until proven innocent in its legal system, as it emphasized the importance of human rights and rule of law.

The statement released by the French embassy in Manila followed Duterte’s assessment of the judicial system in France on Monday as he defended his controversial war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives.

“We have to point out that, as in the Philippines, the presumption of innocence until proven guilty is at the core of the French judicial system, based on the principles enshrined in the French Declaration of Human and Civic Rights of August 26, 1789,” the statement said.

“France strongly believes in the importance of the rule of law, due process and respect for human rights in all countries, including the Philippines.”