Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jul 2016
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2016
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Author: Janvic Mateo

VIGILANTISM UNDERMINES WAR ON DRUGS - CHR

An official of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) yesterday urged 
the police to investigate incidents of vigilantism, saying this could 
undermine the current administration's war against illegal drugs.

"The police should seriously look into these killings. This is murder 
being committed in the streets. People are being killed with 
impunity," said CHR commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana.

Over the past weeks, dozens of bodies have turned up in different 
parts of the country, many of them with messages claiming that the 
victims were drug pushers or snatchers.

"How do we know that the dead are guilty of the crimes? They become 
the accuser, the judge and the executioner," said Gana, stressing 
that the police should send a strong message against murder on the streets.

She said that failing to address vigilantism would run contrary to 
the campaign of the Duterte administration against criminality.

"While we address the problem of illegal drugs, we should not let 
other forms of crimes rise," she added.

Gana is the CHR's commissioner assigned to handle extrajudicial killings.

She, along with commissioner Leah Armamento, also heads the task 
force created by the CHR to investigate deaths in connection with the 
administration's war on drugs.

She said they are in the process of compiling data on incidents 
related to deaths of alleged suspects at the hands of law enforcers.

In addition to bodies turning up on the streets, there have also been 
dozens of incidents involving suspects killed by the police during 
alleged shootouts or gun-grabbing incidents.

CHR commissioner Roberto Cadiz expressed alarm over the incidents and 
called for a national inquiry into the matter.

Gana said the task force has yet to decide if it would conduct such 
inquiry as they are still in the process of compiling data.

She stressed, however, that CHR regional offices have started 
investigations on the drug-related killings.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald de la Rosa 
expressed belief that some vigilante groups are going after members 
of illegal drug syndicates, while other cases could involve 
doublecrossing within the syndicates.

"They (drug personalities) are killing each other," said De la Rosa.

He said some of the distributors for instance could no longer remit 
the drug money so the drug lords would call their hit men to kill 
those distributors who fail to remit.

The PNP chief revealed that a drug pusher who recently surrendered to 
him had confessed that he decided to give himself up after learning 
that he is now a target for liquidation upon orders of a drug lord.

Probe within powers of Congress

Meanwhile, Vice President Leni Robredo yesterday reiterated her 
position expressing alarm over the rising number of deaths in 
connection with the war on drugs.

She backed investigations on the incidents, including the proposal at 
the House and Senate to conduct an inquiry.

"I think that is within their mandate," she said, adding that the 
agencies under the executive such as the Philippine National Police, 
Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and Local 
Government should also investigate the matter.

"We cannot let the people take the law into their hands as many 
innocent lives may be affected," she added in Filipino.

Robredo warned of possible disorder in letting people commit murder 
against those accused of committing crimes.

She noted that President Duterte, in his inaugural speech, recognized 
the rule of law.

"I don't think he will condone vigilante-style executions," added the 
Vice President.

Sen. Leila de Lima has formally filed her proposed resolution calling 
for an inquiry into the alleged extrajudicial killings and summary 
executions of suspected criminals in the country.

In filing Proposed Senate Resolution number 9, De Lima denounced the 
killings as violations of an individual's rights to life and to due process.

"Regardless of the question of whether those killed were in fact 
criminals, precisely because there was no opportunity for them to be 
prosecuted before a court of law, the fight against crime is 
apparently becoming a looming state-sanctioned cover for a policy of 
summary executions and extrajudicial killings of any and all 
suspected criminals," De Lima said in her resolution.

"Extrajudicial or summary killing is homicide. Carried out 
premeditatedly and in conspiracy with other public authorities, it 
becomes mass murder, which if left unabated and unchecked, can 
escalate into a crime against humanity under international law," she added.

Citing news reports about the killings of suspected criminals, 
particularly the alleged drug pushers, De Lima noted that from June 
30 to July 12 or the first 13 days of the Duterte administration, a 
total of 136 suspected criminals were killed.

For the period of May 12 to July 12, De Lima noted that there was a 
total of 339 killings recorded and "there is no indication that the 
statistics will go down anytime soon."

De Lima said that there is also a need to enhance the legal 
mechanisms of accountability of state and non-state actors; to 
strengthen the roles and responsibilities of relevant government 
agencies that are mandated to investigate these cases; and to 
institute additional legislative measures that uphold and enrich the 
right to life, "while at the same time contributing significantly and 
meaningfully to the government's fight against criminality and illegal drugs."

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who is expected to head the Senate committee on 
public order and dangerous drugs, has questioned the need for a 
congressional inquiry into these incidents at this time.

Lacson said that he wants to see the momentum gained by the law 
enforcement agencies against criminality sustained and that De Lima 
should provide a formal complaint filed by any party with regard to 
the killings in order to justify the probe.

In her resolution, De Lima cited the July 7 complaint filed by the 
wife of a slain suspect who was already in the custody of the Pasay 
City police before the Commission on Human Rights.

The resolution also called for the Senate committee on justice and 
human rights, which is expected to be headed by De Lima, to conduct 
the inquiry.

It is only when the resolution is taken up in plenary session, which 
starts on July 25, that it would formally be referred to a particular 
committee for action.

Solicitor General Jose Calida yesterday questioned the motive of De 
Lima in pushing for a Senate investigation on the recent killings of 
drug suspects during police operations.

Calida said De Lima just wants to gain publicity and boost her 
popularity in proposing the inquiry despite disapproval by most senators.

"There is no need for investigation in the Senate. This is not 
investigation in aid of legislation. I think this is investigation in 
aid of media mileage," Calida stressed.

"There are certain rules and jurisprudence on what is a valid 
investigation in aid of legislation. It cannot be based merely on 
suspicion or speculation. She has to prove the insinuations that 
these killings are extrajudicial," he pointed out.

"If these criteria are not met, then we will advise the PNP officials 
not to attend (the inquiry)," he stressed.

Calida also criticized De Lima for her failure to stop illegal drug 
operations inside the national penitentiary during her six-year 
tenure as secretary of justice.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan also aired his concern over the spate of 
unexplained killings, which he said "does not signify justice, but 
indicates a breakdown in law and order."

In order to address the problems in the justice system, Pangilinan 
urged President Duterte to convene the Joint Judiciary Executive 
Legislative Advisory and Consultative Council (JJELACC), which he 
proposed in 2007 and was subsequently convened twice only.

"This led to the P3-billion additional budget for the judiciary. The 
increase from P10 billion in 2008 to P13 billion in 2009 caused the 
computerization of courts and the filling up of 20 percent of 
vacancies in the 2,500 courts nationwide," Pangilinan said.

Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. said yesterday that he would push 
for an investigation by the House into the rising number of illegal 
drugs-related killings.

He said incoming speaker Pantaleon Alvarez was right in dissuading 
congressmen from conducting an inquiry "only because House committees 
are still not organized."

"The organization of committees will start after we convene on July 
25. Maybe next month or in September, the committees can begin 
working," he said.

He added that once his resolution calling for an investigation into 
the killings is referred to the concerned committee, he would ask 
that hearings be immediately scheduled.

Baguilat pointed out that while he is not against the Duterte 
administration's campaign against illegal drugs, he is concerned that 
"due process and the rule of law have not been followed in some cases."

He also lamented the reluctance of Alvarez to conduct an 
investigation on the alleged killings of drug pushers.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom