Cops: AIP report unfair, baseless
The Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 strongly denied Amnesty International Philippines' (AIP) claim that most of the human rights violations were committed by policemen.
“For me ang take ko diyan, ano ang basehan nila for saying that? Yung mga claims kasi, should be backed up by data, or information that would support the claim, of course, we strongly deny that claim, gusto ko malaman yung basis,” PRO-7 Regional Director Robert Quenery told The FREEMAN, in a phone call.
Quenery said that the use of force and firearms is under the mandate of law enforcers, when it comes to policing.
“Those are state powers vested on the police and the use of such is in accordance with our police operational procedures…When we apply it in accordance with the law, human rights violation agad?” he said.
The AIP considered the spate of killings in the region as alarming and that the police force is top human rights violator.
The AIP added that the authorities, under the leadership of the President Rodrigo Duterte, engaged in a bloody war against drugs where the victims come from the urban poor sector.
The group added these killings were left unsolved and were not investigated at all.
Quenery assured though that PRO-7 has a regional human rights office overseeing the obligations to preserve life at all cost and look into matters of uniformed men abusing their authority.
He said that this should not be a reason for cops to feel demoralized in doing their jobs. He directed his men to strictly adhere to police operational procedures.
“Continue doing their job, and continuously follow our police operational procedures, this is the guide. Wala na mang basis yung claims, so just go on with their job,” Quenery said.
PRO-7 Spokesperson Police Superintendent Reyman Tolentin said that the report of AIP saying that they are the top violators of human rights would not demoralize their police nor affect their police operations.
Rather, Tolentin said that they took the report as a challenge and an inspiration to continue doing their job as part of their duty as policeman to risk their lives for peace.
"Dili siya maka-demoralize. In fact, it is a challenge to us showing to the public that we are transparent especially in Tokhang operation. So, kaya masasabi namin na walang bases iyong report nila," said Tolentin.
He added that if they would look into the cases of killing in Central Visayas, there are clear manifestations that it happened in circumstances that cannot be avoided and it was not left uninvestigated.
"If we look into the cases, each of every case of killing has a particular or unique circumstance and the police are investigating. We are not sleeping on it," Tolentin said.
He, however, challenged those people behind the report that rather tagging the police as top violator of human rights, why not ask if how many police officers died and were wounded during police operation.
Just last month, a police officer from Minglanilla, Police Officer 2 Evie Espina, died during anti-illegal drug operation after the suspect who was allegedly armed engaged in a gunfight with the police operatives.
Based on police's data, there were already at least 10 police officers who died while 15 were wounded during police operation since 2016.
Meanwhile, this 2018 during the return of antiillegal drug operations to PNP, less than 10 drug personalities died during anti-illegal drug operations.
"We have this as we are only doing our job inspired by the troops who have already given their lives in the call of duty. Sila ang among mga heroes. We will continue their fight in making their lives meaningful and dapat hindi masayang. We will really continue amidst the claims of other people na human violators kami," said Tolentin.
He also reiterated that the report given by the AIP was baseless, unacceptable and unfair to the PNP.