MANILA – Foreign Affairs Secretary on Tuesday dismissed as just part of “partisan politics” all the criticisms against the Duterte government with regard to the war on drugs and the arrest of government critic Senator Leila de Lima.

Yasay said criticisms from Vice President Leni Robredo and her allies in the Senate and House of Representatives over the government’s war on drugs and De Lima’s arrest should no longer come as a surprise since they belong to an opposing party.

“You see, the vice-president is a partisan political opposition of the president, and if something happens to the president or the president is removed from office, she stands to benefit from it,” Yasay said in an interview with CNN International’s Christiane Amanpour.

“There is a very strong partisan political undertone that goes behind this criticisms and I don’t think it is fair for everyone to just simply say that because you are the vice president or you are a member of Congress, a senator trying to question this -- that they are saying the truth.”

President Rodrigo Duterte has come under intense criticism because of his war on drugs, which has so far cost the lives of over 7,000 people.

Yasay said the government only takes responsibility for the killings of about 2,500 drug suspects slain under legitimate circumstances.

“The government admits and confirms there are over 2,000 deaths resulting from legitimate operations wherein rules of engagement have been strictly followed,” he said.

“Nevertheless if there has been accusations or insinuations that the police did not uphold the due process required, we are immediately investigating these things.”

Critics have said that De Lima’s arrest was brought about by her criticism against Duterte’s campaign, as well the president’s long-standing grudge towards her for investigating him as a mayor over alleged death squad killings years ago.

Yasay, however, downplayed criticisms that De Lima’s arrest is a form of political repression.

“There is something that one should understand about the arrest of Senator De Lima. Senator De Lima is a very powerful person. She is a senator and you see that our justice system works. Nobody is spared. If you violate the law, you will be arrested,” he said.