FILES OF DRUG KILLINGS ARE STATE SECRETS—DUTERTE

President Duterte on Tuesday night defended his decision to withhold the release of case files of drug-related killings, saying these were considered “part of state secrets.”

Mr. Duterte said former President Gloria MacapagalArroyo declared that the drug problem was already a “national security” issue during her administration, and so the case files of drug cases—particularly the intelligence reports—should not be released.

“If you say the report—the case buildup and the action taken—that is what you are asking, I will not give it. You know why? I did not do it,” Duterte said in a live interview on state television.

“It was Gloria Arroyo who did it. She raised the level of the drug issue as a national security problem. That is part of the state secrets,” he said.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) had asked the Philippine National Police for the case records of the alleged summary executions in police operations, particularly in relation to the drug war.

However, the PNP said the documents would be released only if the President gave the green light.

“Now, the killings you saw there, where the police committed abuses, let’s prosecute them. But do not look into the—inside the intel of the operation,” Mr. Duterte said.

“You will burn all the…national security. It was not me. It was Arroyo who issued that order,” he added.

Meanwhile, the President said he would also invite the European Union to put up a human rights office in the country if Congress’ move to slash the CHR budget to just P1,000 pushed through.

“If you don’t have employees, I will shoulder the costs, you look for the people…the human rights investigators. You will check their qualification,” Mr. Duterte said.

He said he would use the CHR’s proposed P678-million budget instead to buy body cameras for policemen.