Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said that his country might leave the United Nations and invite China and others to form a new global forum, accusing it of failing to fulfil its mandate.

However, Duterte's foreign minister, Perfecto Yasay, said on Monday the Philippines would remain a U.N. member and described the president's comments as expressions of "profound disappointment and frustration".

"We are committed to the U.N. despite our numerous frustrations and disappointments with the international agency," Yasay was quoted by the Star Online as saying.

Last week, two UN human rights experts urged Manila to stop the extra-judicial executions and killings that have escalated since Duterte won the presidency in May on a promise to wipe out drugs.

As recently as Sunday, the number of suspected drug traffickers killed in Duterte's seven-week war on drugs had been put at about 900 by Philippine officials.

However on Monday, Philippine National Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa told a Senate committee investigating extra-judicial killings that 712 drug traffickers and users had been killed during police operations. 

Police were also investigating 1,067 drug-related killings outside normal police work, Dela Rosa said.

Source: MENA