MANILA (UPDATE) - President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday blasted the United Nations and the European Union (EU) anew over criticism of his drug war, telling envoys to leave the country in 24 hours.

In a speech in Malacañang, Duterte said the Philippines cannot be expelled from the UN that easily because China, Russia and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will not agree to it.

"You want to expel us? You try. Your $1,000 will earn P1 million from me if you can expel us from the UN. Bakit, papayag kaya ang Russia pati China? Ul*l pala kayo eh. You think China and the rest of the countries in ASEAN will agree to that? Where will be the crucial vote that will come? The Security Council. And you think Russia and China will allow that?" he said, addressing the world body.

"Kasi ang pagtingin niyo kasi sa amin, walang alam sa Charter ng United Nations. You think we are a bunch of morons here. You are the one," Duterte added.

Duterte's fresh tirade was an apparent response to international rights group Human Rights Watch's warning that the Philippines may be expelled from the UN Human Rights Council if killings under the drug war continue.

The UN itself has not threatened to remove the country from the 47-nation rights council or the 193-member world body itself.

Still, Duterte dared to cut diplomatic ties with UN and EU member-states, asking their ambassadors to leave the country within 24 hours.

"The ambassadors of those countries listening now. Tell me, because we can have the diplomatic channel cut tomorrow. You leave my country in 24 hours. All, all of you," he said.

"We will not allow anybody, not even the United States, to dictate on us. And I will tell it straight during the November... in the ASEAN," said Duterte, in reference to the ASEAN summit where world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, are set to arrive.

The President's comments also came after the recent visit of a 7-member delegation of international parliamentarians, including Europeans, who called for a halt in drug-related killings.

Some even warned that Manila could lose trade perks with the European bloc if it fails to measure up to human rights standards.

PALACE CLARIFIES

In a statement issued Thursday evening, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the President's "expression of outrage" was pertaining to the statements of the 7-member delegation of international parliamentarians.

"This delegation’s irresponsible statements protesting the alleged killings under the Duterte Administration demean our status as a sovereign nation," said Abella.

He said the group of international parliamentarians had "falsely portrayed itself as an EU mission." The EU Delegation in the Philippines earlier said it had nothing to do with the group's Manila visit and disassociated from its statements.

"The call of the President for EU ambassadors to leave the country in 24 hours must be taken in this light. For so long, our President tolerated these undue interferences in our domestic affairs, and he has decided that these must stop if only to preserve the integrity and dignity of our State as a sovereign nation," Abella said.

Reacting to the Progressive Alliance's visit, former Senate President Edgardo Angara, Manila's special envoy to the European Union (EU), had said Wednesday that the group of parliamentarians does not represent the EU parliament's governing majority.

"In all the meetings (between Filipino and European officials in Brussels), the EU representatives invariably asked how the EU can help the Philippines cope with the drug crisis and fight ISIS (Islamic State)," Angara said in reference to a visit he recently undertook to Brussels with Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

EU lawmakers who visited the Philippines in July had criticized Duterte's anti-narcotics war, citing the more than 3,000 deaths in anti-drug operations and alleged human rights violations in the country.

Duterte has repeatedly blasted the EU in his speeches, saying its members do not understand the magnitude of Manila's drug problem.

The government had declined in May 250 million Euros (P13.89 billion) in fresh grants from the EU.

In September meanwhile, 39 UN member-states expressed serious concern over alleged extra-judicial killings under the Duterte administration's drug war.

They urged the Philippines to "cooperate with the international community to pursue appropriate investigations into these incidents, in keeping with the universal principles of democratic accountability and the rule of law."

Malacañang responded by saying that it will never accept foreign intervention in its internal affairs.

The President has just ordered the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to take charge of the anti-drug campaign, prompting the Philippine National Police to terminate its controversial Oplan Tokhang or house-to-house "knock and plead" operations targeting drug suspects.

The administration has reiterated that law enforcement authorities are not behind summary killings of drug suspects.