Palace challenges AI to probe drug lords
Malacañang has challenged Amnesty International (AI) to investigate the alleged extrajudicial killings perpetrated by drug lords and other enemies of the state instead of just zeroing in on the alleged government abuses.
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said it was unfair the human rights group has prejudged the Philippine government, particu-
larly the national police, for alleged involvement in the killings even without a fair and thorough probe.
“Dapat siguro gawin din ng Amnesty International ay imbestigahan din nila iyong mga drug lord. Imbestigahan din nila iyong mga extra-judicial killings na ginagawa ng mga kalaban din natin, mga drug lord, mga drug pusher, iyong mga negosyo talaga (Amnesty International should also investigate the drug lords, investigate extrajudicial killings perpetrated by our enemies, drug lords, drug pushers, those involved in the trade),” Andanar said in a radio interview.
Andanar even encouraged Amnesty to visit Sulu, Basilan, and other insurgency-infested places to look into the kidnappings and other extrajudicial killings there.
“Alamin nila kung ano iyong estado para makita natin ang ibang pag-aaral ng Amnesty International. May mga human rights victims doon sa Jolo, Sulu. Marami doon,” he added.
In a report, the London-based group recently accused the Duterte government of creating an “economy of murder” in which the police profit from the bloody anti-drug campaign.
The group reported that policemen were supposedly paid for each extrajudicial killing of a suspected drug offender. Cops have also allegedly hired other people to kill drug suspects, planted evidence and even with connived funeral homes.
At least 33 incidents of drugrelated killings were investigated by Amnesty.
Andanar, however, found the Amnesty study “very unfair,” insisting the government has not sanctioned the murders of drug suspects. He added that the police force has no funds to afford the contract killings of drug suspects as alleged by AI.
He said the government has no problem with an investigation by any organization as long as it is done with fairness. PNP negates AI report Last Wednesday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) negated a report of the Amnesty International about the alleged wrong-doings of policemen.
“We take strong exception to opinions raised in the latest report of Amnesty International which claim, that police plant evidence, take under-the-table cash, fabricate reports and paid killers on police payroll,” Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos, PNP Public Information Office (PIO) chief, said in a statement.
Carlos said these are obviously not the norm, despite a higher number of police operations that have resulted to inevitable fatal encounters with criminal elements lately.
“The PNP has always observed and upheld respect for human rights as a fundamental principle in policing and is the institutional foundation of all training programs for police units and personnel,” he said.
Carlos said the police cannot help being typecast as alleged violators of human rights partly because of the basic nature of its law enforcement function that constantly places the police in cross swords engagement or armed contact with criminal elements.
Senators eye probe
Senators are mulling inviting the AI over at the Senate to shed more information about the alleged anomalies and corruption within the PNP amid the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto said he is raring to get a copy of the AI’s report saying he is alarmed at the accusations of the international human rights watchdog.
AI in its report said the police and hired killers are behind the extrajudicial killings as part of the President’s campaign against illegal drugs and are being paid 15,000 for each alleged drug user and 110,000-115,000 for each drug pusher killed.
“I haven’t read all of it, but that’s alarming. If that’s what they say, let’s take a look. Should there be an investigation in the Senate, I supposed there should be,” Recto told reporters in an interview.
Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, a member of the minority said the allegation is so serious it warrants a legislative inquiry. He is already drafting a resolution calling on the Senate to conduct a legislative inquiry on the AI report.
“This is a very serious allegation coming from an international body. We need to know what is the basis of that report; because it’s damaging the image of the country before the international community,” Escudero said in a weekly press conference at the Senate.
Sen. Leila de Lima said she had already suspected that the drug-related killings were done by rogue cops in the PNP “were a reality” but the information she got were not validated.
“I’ve always thought that’s the reality, that’s why I’ve been opposing this government’s campaign against drugs It’s clear to me the policemen behind the killings or their agents or their assets. Probably paid or not. I’ve known that all this time because we’ve been getting information. And I was hoping it could have been taken up during the EJK hearings,” de Lima said.
De Lima, a staunch critic of the Duterte administration, formerly headed the Senate justice and human rights but was ejected from the panel by her colleagues. Sen. Richard Gordon replaced her as the panel’s chief.
She lamented that Gordon has unfortunately terminated the proceedings on the EJK probe.
“So where did they get the money to pay? It’s unlikely this is funded by private personalities.
For Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, unless they show evidence, AI’s allegations will remain as rumors.
“I don’t know where they (Amnesty International) got their report. Accusing is a one thing but proving is another thing. Unless they show evidence it will remain loose talks or rumors,” Lacson told reporters in an interview.
Lacson said that he was not speaking in defense of the administration pointing out that he was critical when there was a need to do so but said that their allegations should be supported by facts.
“Anyone can conduct their own investigation. I don’t know where they get their conclusion but what is important is they give us evidence and that is the time we can exercise oversight function but we need to see facts,” he added. (With reports from Hannah L. Torregoza and PNA)