Launch of group vs EJK welcomed

MANILA - Incoming Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday welcomed the launch of the group Mga Manananggol Laban sa Extrajudicial Killings ( Manlaban sa EJK), which is composed of legal educators and students.

The group, which rallies against extrajudicial killings and human rights violations, was launched on Thursday.

It brings together lawyers, legal educators, judges and law students "opposed to institutionalized denials of due process and violations of the rights to privacy, the presumption of innocence and other basic rights to life, liberty, and security."

"I welcome this development ( launching of Manlaban sa EJK) because unless we can come up with actual evidence that there are indeed extra- legal killings, then we cannot overcome the presumption [ of regularity]," Duterte's incoming spokesman told a press conference.

Roque stressed President Rodrigo Duterte would not condone killings of suspects in his drug war, unless the life of the police officers are at risk.

"But as far as extralegal judicial killings [ are] concerned, I came to this job knowing fully well the official position of the President, which he made public… He will not tolerate murders. He will only tolerate killings when it is in line with duty and when the engagement is legal," he added.

Duterte's bloody drug war has fueled public outrage following the deaths of Kian Lloyd Delos Santos, 17, Carl Angelo Arnaiz, 19, who were both gunned down in separate drug raids carried out by Caloocan policemen.

To allay people's fears amid the implementation of the drug war, the President has designated the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency ( PDEA) to solely conduct the anti- drug operations nationwide.

Duterte has instructed the police force to merely maintain visibility amid the PDEA's fight against illegal drugs.

Duterte, however, has maintained his stance not to kill a drug suspect unless he offered resistance during the arrest.