The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Thursday, February 25, said it is looking forward to participating in the process of the inter-agency panel investigating thousands of killings under President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.
CHR previously sent letters to the Department of Justice (DOJ) which remained unanswered for many months. It sought to clarify its role in the panel launched in June 2020 following a scathing United Nations report on the drug war situation.
“We emphasize… that we remain in anticipation of the full report of the review panel and look forward to be included in its processes,” CHR said in a statement.
“We reiterate our previous statements that we value dialogue with the Philippine government as we have consistently attempted to invite them to work with us,” the commission said.
The statement was in response to the speech delivered by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Wednesday, February 24. He announced the drug war panel’s findings that the police failed to follow standard protocols in the conduct of operations.
CHR said the findings of the review are, “at the very least,” a step in the right direction.
“The investigations have to push through, and make sure that perpetrators are held to account,” the commission said. “The victims need to be confident that actions will be taken, and we commit ourselves in making this a reality.”
‘Impartial institution’
Guevarra said that they will engage closely with the commission on issues related to accountability “particularly on case buildup and evidence gathering.”
CHR said that it looks forward to working as an “impartial institution” that will ensure that the government remains committed and on track in protecting human rights.
It also expressed appreciation for Guevarra’s declaration about cooperating with the commission “in order to bridge victims of human rights violations with government,” it said.
Human rights groups said that the findings of the review panel are enough reason to stop Duterte’s war on drugs – widely criticized for the thousands of killings with little to no accountability since 2016.
Police data showed that as of January 31, at least 6,039 suspected drug personalities were killed during police operations. Human rights groups, meanwhile, estimate a higher 27,000 to 30,000 who have been killed, including victims of vigilante-style killings.
The administration’s centerpiece campaign against illegal drugs has been the subject of international scrutiny, including the International Criminal Court, which is expected to decide whether or not to open a formal investigation into the Philippine killings by the first half of 2021.
The constitutionality of the violent campaign against illegal drugs is being questioned before the Supreme Court. Pending since 2018, the case has been stalled by the Duterte government’s submission of “rubbish” files, a Rappler investigation showed.
– Rappler.com
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