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Friday, November 30, 2007
CHR official dismisses UN report on salvaging
DAVAO CITY –- An official of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) here vehemently dismissed the observation made by United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alston that his office had not made an in-depth investigation on the series of summary executions against children in Davao City.
CHR-Southern Mindanao Director Alberto Sipaco on Wednesday said they had done everything possible to solve or at least identify those behind the series of summary executions in the city in the past years.
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Sipaco however admitted that they are having difficulty getting evidence and witnesses since the people, victims, and witnesses alike, are not that cooperative in their probe.
He said they thought the relatives were uncooperative because they were still grieving but they were still the same when CHR officials came back six months later.
Sipaco said that since "we are a democratic country, we could not compel anyone to testify against the suspects."
He added that the suspected assailants are also protected from unjust accusations since there is not much evidence against them. "We always operate by facts," he said.
In his final report released last Monday, Alston scored the continued denial by the CHR on the existence of a vigilante group.
Alston said if only the CHR vigorously conducted its investigation, it would have known salient facts regarding the group.
"If it were not for the fact that the local office of the CHR denies the existence of a death squad, it should be capable of conducting an effective investigation. There are many witnesses who would provide information anonymously or who would testify were they to receive a credible protection arrangement," he said.
Alston added: "Defending the rights of street children may be unpopular, but no one deserves to be stabbed to death for petty crimes. There are already preliminary indications that these practices are being replicated in other parts of Mindanao and in Cebu, and this trend needs to be halted immediately." (BOT/Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (November 30, 2007 issue)
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