Philippines not leaving UN, says Foreign Secretary

He said his country was committed to the organisation despite its "frustrations", Xinhua news agency reported.

Yasay, in a briefing to clarify a statement made earlier by President Rodrigo Duterte, said: "We certainly are not leaving the UN."

Duterte on Sunday said that the Philippines will "separate" from the UN after the body criticised his war on illicit drugs.

The President was angered by statements made by a UN official condemning the increasing number of vigilante-type killings in the country.

There were more than 1,000 persons killed in the campaign, according to media reports.

"Maybe we just have to separate from the UN. If you are that rude, we might just leave the organisation," Duterte said in a news conference in Davao City on Sunday, referring to the UN critics.

Duterte said he might as well form a rival organisation with China and other African nations and criticised UN for its failure to stamp out terrorism, world hunger and other conflicts.