DILG: No indication of massive human rights violation
THE Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Friday (December 9) there is no indication that there is a massive human rights violation in the Philippines.
Based on the result of the independent probe conducted by the agency following the increase in the number of persons being killed in police operations, particularly in during anti-illegal drugs operations, Assistant Secretary Epimaco Densing III said there were minimal human rights violations in the country.
“There will be human rights violations. Is it massive or not? Indications based on the case showed that it is not massive… indicatively there is no human rights violations or it is at the barest minimum,” he said.
He said of the total number of police operation conducted from July 1 to October 13, they investigated 25 cases, which were picked randomly.
Of the 25 cases they investigated, Densing said 23 appeared to be a legitimate police operation in which the police report matched to the result of their investigation, particularly on the circumstances where the suspects were killed.
He said the other two cases did not match, however, to their investigation, prompting them to conduct a re-investigation -- one in Quipao, Manila and the other in Tanza, Cavite.
Densing maintained that if ever there was a suspect killed in an operation, it was not a state-sponsored incident.
He said, though, that such cases should still be monitored and should not be taken for granted.
“We should continue with the investigation, specifically on the sensitive ones, dahil mayroon ngang potential na human rights violations,” he said.
The DILG then recommended the creation of the Philippine National Police (PNP) manual on operations, as well as policies for police operations that should always be available in police stations.
Densing said they are also recommending the provision of body camera, which will be used by operatives during police operations.
“Para maipakita na talagang hindi pumapatay ang mga pulis ng alleged pushers na walang kalaban-laban (To show that they really are not killing alleged drug pushers),” he said, adding that police officers should have to take human rights seminars to have a clear idea about it.
“Hindi namin ikinatutuwa na may namamatay tuwing drug operation, whether it is the life of pusher or policemen. It just so happened that the police officers are trained and these pushers are not pero may baril sila kaya lalaban sila,” Densing added.
In its update, the PNP said 2,028 drug personalities have been killed in 37,626 anti-illegal drug operations.
Meanwhile, Densing warned human rights groups that claim the massive human violations in the country without providing solid evidence.
He said it can be considered as an economic sabotage, as it causes fear to investors who wish to put up their business in the country. (Sunnex)