The Philippines is set to give an annual budget of just 1,000 pesos (£15) to its human rights body amid the country's brutal war on drugs.

The drastic cut to the Commission on Human Rights' (CHR) budget was supported by 119 politicians to just 32 in the country's congress.

But critics say the move is punishment for the body's staunch criticism of President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs and the public body's efforts to investigate thousands of killings over the past 15 months.

The number of deaths has attracted international criticism.

But Pantaleon Alvarez, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the country's Congress, defended the funding plan.

He told local television that the commission deserved the small budget for being "useless" and defending criminals' rights.

But Congressman Edcel Lagman said the president's supporters were "virtually imposing the death penalty on a constitutionally created and mandated office".

The CHR had requested a budget of 1.72bn pesos (£25m) for 2018, but the government proposed less than half that.

On the second reading of the legislation, Congress voted to slash that to just 1,000 pesos (£25). The 2017 budget for the CHR was 749m pesos (£11m)

The budget requires Senate approval before it becomes final, but opponents say it is likely to be passed because Mr Duterte has a majority in both the house's chambers.

The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Show all 9 1 /9 The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On killing drug addicts “These sons of whores are destroying our children. I warn you, don’t go into that, even if you’re a policeman, because I will really kill you. If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful” The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Message to China “I will go there on my own with a Jet Ski, bringing along with me a [Phillipino] flag and a pole, and once I disembark, I will plant the flag on the runway and tell the Chinese authorities, ‘Kill me’ ” AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Christmas message to law-breakers “If you do not want to stop, and just continue committing crimes, then this would be your last Merry Christmas” AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On sex life “I was separated from my wife. I’m not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever? When I take Viagra, it stands up” AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On the drugs trade “None of my children are into illegal drugs. But my order is, even if it is a member of my family, ‘kill him'" AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting the Pope “We were affected by the traffic. It took us five hours. I asked why, they said it was closed. I asked who is coming. They answered, the pope. I wanted to call him: ‘Pope, son of a wh**e, go home. Do not visit us again’” AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Joke about rape “I saw her face and I thought, 'What a pity... they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first” AFP/Getty The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting Barack Obama "Mr Obama should be respectful and refrain from throwing questions at me about the killings, or son of a bitch, I will swear at you in that forum" REUTERS The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants "If I have to face them, you know I can eat humans. I will really open up your body. Just give me vinegar and salt, and I will eat you. If you annoy me to the fullest... I will eat you alive. Raw" EPA

​Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said the overwhelming support for the cut was “part of the Duterte administration's attempt to prevent independent institutions to check its abuses”.

Agnes Callamard, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, said Filipinos deserved a strong, independent rights organisation that could hold the state accountable.

“Instead they are getting a 'war on drugs' which, by the president's own account, has failed to curtail addiction rates, while creating a climate of fear and insecurity, feeding impunity, and undermining the constitutional fabrics of the Country,” Ms Callamard said in a Facebook post.

“If the Philippines Congress is looking for public money being wasted, damaging and hurting the Philippines society, this is it.”

The CHR has long said it lacks funding to fully investigate the killings, the majority of which activists say are of users and small-time peddlers.

But Filipinos are largely supportive of the crackdown and it is seen as a solution to tackling rampant crime.

Critics maintain police are executing suspects, and say the government has a thinly-veiled kill policy. Mr Duterte has angrily rejected the accusation and police say they kill only in self-defence.

CHR head, Chito Gascon, said the measly budget was an attempt to force his resignation. He vowed to take the issue to the Supreme Court if necessary.

“The principal reason why I cannot resign my office is that to do so is to weaken the institution itself,” Mr Gascon said. “Asking me to resign would lead to essentially making the institution forever at the mercy of politics.”