Mayor welcomes human rights probe

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte on Wednesday said the city is prepared for any inquiry that will be conducted by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on summary killings in the city.

Duterte last week directed the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) to prepare the necessary data in aid of another investigation on summary killings after she met with CHR Chair Loretta Ann Rosales on November 19.

Duterte also said she agreed with Rosales that the premise of the term 'summary killings' should be defined first before they start with the probe.

The CHR has already conducted a series of public hearings on extra-judicial killings attributed to the alleged Davao Death Squad (DDS) in 2009. It was formerly headed by now Justice Secretary Leila De Lima,

The mayor said the second round of hearings aim to end issue on DDS since nothing has come out of the first inquiry.

Duterte also said she welcomes anybody who is interested in conducting an investigation on the matter, specifically from the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Director Rene Aspera said the city's police would not back out from the investigation conducted by the CHR. (JZC)