Palace backs coalition vs extrajudicial killings

THE Palace welcomed on Thursday the formation of the coalition against extrajudicial killings.

The group, called Manlaban sa Extrajudicial Killings, is composed of lawyers and law students including former Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada 3rd, Prof. Roel Pulido, Dean Pacifico Agibin, Dean Tony Laviña, Julia Lim, Edre Olalia, among others.

“We welcome that. In our laws, and even worldwide, there is no legal system in the world which does not recognize the principle of the presumption of regularity - tion. The only way to overcome such presumption is if there is controverting evidence,” Palace spokesman Harry Roque, a former human rights lawyer, said.

“If there is evidence that the presumption should not apply, then the presumption will not be applied. I welcome this development because unless we come up with an actual evidence that there are extrajudicial killings, then we cannot overcome the presumption. We need the help of civil society in overcoming the presumption of regularity,” he said.

Local and international human rights groups have said that the number of drug- related deaths may be as high as 13,000.

Roque said drug-related killings were not state sanctioned.

“Well, in any war, unfortunately, there will be collateral damage. The goal of the government is to minimize the collateral damage. The goal of the government is to uphold the right to life; to protect and promote the right to life. As far as this obligation is concerned, there is a continuing obligation of the state to investigate, prosecute and punish the perpetrators of these killings,” he pointed out.

“As far as extra- legal killings is concerned, I came to this job knowing fully well the official position of the President, which he made public after the killing of Kian [delos Santos]. He will not tolerate murders. He will only tolerate killings when it is in line with duty and when the engagement is legal and he had, in fact, asked in the Kian killing be arrested,” Roque added.

In February, Roque, then the Kabayan party-list representative, called on the families of the slain victims of the police’s anti-drug war operations dubbed as Oplan Tokhang to ask relief before the Amparo (protection).

Roque made the call after the Supreme Court granted the Writ of survivor Efren Morillo and eight others who are relatives of the four drug suspects killed during an Oplan Tokhang operation in Payatas, Quezon City in August 2016.

The Writ of Amparo prevents the Quezon City Police District-Station 6, which conducted the Tokhang operation from getting to the petitioners, within a one-kilometer radius. It likewise mandates the Philippine National Police (PNP), led by PNP Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, to investigate the policemen involved in the killing of four men; take them under PNP custody; provide evidence and ensure that the incident will not happen again.