Palace hits UN experts: Don’t bully us

DAVAO CITY — Malacañang has warned the human rights specialists of the United Nations (UN) against bullying the government by issuing what it called false statements on extrajudicial killings.

“Even as we continue to respect the UN special procedure mechanism, we will not allow these biased individuals parading themselves as human rights experts to bully the states by concocting falsehoods,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said yesterday.

Roque was referring to UN rapporteurs Diego García-Sayán, Michel Forst and Agnes Callamard. The three had issued statements claiming that a majority of the killings appeared to have been committed by state agents.

“We decry these special rapporteurs who signed the joint statement for making negative assumptions about the country despite our explanations to the contrary,” Roque said.

The three UN specialists said the government itself

showed that a climate of impunity is prevailing in the country, citing its own figures showing 3,967 drug personalities killed in the antidrug war from July 1, 2016 to Oct. 25 this year.

“The Philippines is required to protect its population, and its government has a positive obligation to take effective measures to protect the right to life. Failure to do so is a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” the rapporteurs said in a statement released on Thursday by the UN office of the high commissioner on human rights (OHCHR) in Geneva.

Roque said the Duterte administration has said it would never condone extrajudicial killings and human rights violations, and that it has investigated and punished erring police officers.

He cited the dismissal of the police chief of Caloocan City due to the involvement of his men in the killing of two teenagers, one of them in an anti-drug operation.

“We believe that accountability is an indispensable part of good governance, Roque said, adding that Duterte always emphasized the importance of following the rule of law and respect of human rights,” he said.

Meawhile, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said the rapporteurs are interfering in the internal affairs of the country with their criticisms of the government’s war on drugs, that he said were not based on facts.

Pimentel said the snap judgments by the rapporteurs have generated suspicions a political agenda is involved.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said the Philippine National Police (PNP) should not allow “a few rotten eggs” to tarnish the reputation of the entire organization.

Sen. Richard Gordon urged the public to monitor the actions of the PNP and report any abuses they committed.

“What we need is vigilance. If everyone is involved then no one will be able to get away with crimes,” Gordon said. –