AN INTERNATIONAL human rights group urged the government on Tuesday, November 6, to form an independent commission that will investigate a police official's statement that some officers are being hired as hitmen who target suspected drug personalities.
Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), said the commission should be totally independent from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Office of the President to ensure a fair investigation.
He said its members should include investigators from the Commission on Human Rights and representatives of non-governmental organizations with recognized expertise.
Adams made the call in reaction to the statement of Central Visayas Police Director Debold Sinas that retired or active police or military officers were possibly behind the killing of drug suspects.
“The admission by a senior police official that police officers are working as hitmen for drug syndicates is yet more evidence of Philippine government complicity in ‘drug war’ killings,” he said.
“Given the total failure of the police to stop these abuses, it’s clear that any serious investigation of the police role in the war on drugs needs full independence,” he added.
The PNP has yet to make any comment on the matter.
From June 1 to October 28, a total of 206 persons were killed in Cebu, including policemen, criminal suspects, politicians and judges.
Earlier, PNP chief Oscar Albayalde said there was nothing irregular in the alleged increase in killing incidents in Cebu.
"Baka 'yung sipag ng ano (bagong directors). Kasi remember 'yung RD (regional director) doon is bago before we installed the different regional directors, we gave them directives na talagang paigtingin 'yung ating kampanya laban sa ilegal na droga so probably yun ang nakita ng regional director kaya siguro nag-react 'yung different commanders on the ground," said Albayalde.
(It could be because the regional director is new. We gave directives to intensify the campaign against illegal drugs.) (SunStar Philippines)