Malacañang on Monday expressed optimism that the Duterte administration will forge better relations with the next United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet was chosen by UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres to be the next UN rights chief, following consultations with the chairs of regional groups of member-states. On Wednesday, he formally notified the UN General Assembly of the selection.
In a press conference, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque congratulated Bachelet. "She was elected and we congratulate her."
Roque said the election may have been the result of a "compromise," after the withdrawal of the United States from the UN Human Rights Council.
"I would say that the entire community of states perhaps elected her for a reason, noting that the United States opted to withdraw from the UNHRC. I think the election of the new high commissioner of human rights is a result of compromise," he said.
"We're optimistic we will have better relations with the new high commissioner," he added.
Bachelet, who was a victim of torture under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, first served as president of Chile from 2006 to 2010. She led U.N. Women, a body for gender equality and the empowerment of women, between 2010 and 2013, before returning to Chile where she again served as president from 2014 to 2018.
Bachelet will succeed Jordan's Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, who will step down by end of August after a four-year stint at the UN office.
Zeid was a critic of President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-illegal drugs policy.
In response, Duterte repeatedly slammed Zeid, who, along with other UN officials, had alleged that the killings of drug personalities were sanctioned by the government.
In March, the Department of Justice filed a petition in court accusing a Filipina special rapporteur of terrorism and alleged membership in the communist guerrilla movement, which prompted Zeid to ask Duterte to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.