Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jul 2016
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines)
Copyright: 2016 Philippine Daily Inquirer
Contact:  http://www.inquirer.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1073
Author: Tarra Quismundo, With reports from Christine O. Avendano and 
Leila B. Salaverria

DE LIMA ASKS SENATE TO PROBE DRUG SLAYS

WARNING that the string of killings may escalate into a 
state-sponsored "crime against humanity," Sen. Leila de Lima is 
pushing ahead with her proposed legislative inquiry into the 
administration's bloody war against drugs and crime despite the 
reluctance of some senators.

De Lima, who is expected to head the Senate committee on justice and 
human rights, yesterday filed Senate Resolution No. 9 calling for an 
"urgent" investigation into the "rampant extrajudicial killings and 
summary executions of suspected criminals" in aid of bolstering 
police accountability for excesses and to "institute corrective 
legislative measures to ensure full respect for basic human rights."

"The use of force, it appears in a lot of cases, fails to comply with 
the legal criteria of absolute necessity and proportionality," De 
Lima, a former justice secretary and human rights chief, said in her 
resolution.

"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" she said.

"An 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," De 
Lima warned.

Body count

In her three-page resolution, De Lima cited how the body count had 
reached more than 300 since the election of President Duterte, known 
for his uncompromising stance on the illegal drug trade.

She found incredulous what had become a common police explanation 
that suspects slain while in police custody "tried to wrest the 
arresting officer's gun."

Sen. Francis Pangilinan yesterday urged the President to convene the 
Joint Judiciary-Executive-Legislative Advisory and Consultative 
Council (JJELACC) to arrest what he said was an indication of "a 
breakdown in law and order."

"We have done it before. We can again work together to strengthen the 
administration of justice and speed up the disposition of cases. 
JJELACC can again serve as the strategic response to criminality and 
disregard for the rule of law," Pangilinan said.

He proposed the convening of the body in 2007 and this was convened twice.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, along with several other senators, has said the 
proposed inquiry was baseless and premature. Administration officials 
have also threatened to investigate De Lima, saying that on her watch 
as justice secretary the illegal drug trade flourished, pointing to 
convicted drug lords at New Bilibid Prison continuing their activities.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the 
Philippine National Police was looking into "vigilante killings" and 
operations where deaths were involved.

"The government is against any form of extrajudicial killings. We do 
not condone these acts. Government is here to save our people from 
the drug menace and punish the offenders, including the big-time 
ones," Andanar said in a statement.

"While the campaign against drugs is far from perfect, a generation 
of Filipinos have been saved from this scourge of society and 
destroyer of lives. Many communities are now relatively drug-free 
with record-high number of people giving up to authorities, choosing 
quieter and healthier lives," he said.

Malacanang put the number of drug dependents who have surrendered at 60,000.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom