STAUNCH administration critic Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes on Friday, July 12, said the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) should immediately conduct an investigation into the human rights situation in the Philippines.
Bastes said the UN decision does not require any further "study" from President Rodrigo Duterte.
"We do not need the 'study' of Duterte whether to allow this investigation. The UN should not be fooled by the 'study' of Duterte," he said.
Bastes said there have been thousands of testimonies on the killings related to the Duterte administration's war against illegal drugs.
"This 'study' is absolutely unnecessary because even his own policemen have admitted that about 6,000 persons were killed in an EJK way. There are thousands of testimonies regarding deaths without the benefit of judicial process," Bastes said.
The bishop said it is only fitting that the international body look into the controversial campaign of the government against illegal drugs.
"The Philippines is a member of UN. Hence, our government must respect or obey the UN resolution seeking an investigation into the human rights situation in our country, which has become notorious throughout the whole world for EJKs," said Bastes.
Last Thursday, July 11, the UNHRC adopted a resolution calling for a comprehensive report on the alleged extrajudicial killings linked to Duterte’s war against illegal drugs.
The resolution was proposed by Iceland and supported by more than 20 other countries.
After the voting, 18 member-states voted Yes to the resolution, 14 opposed it, and 15 others abstained.
Duterte on Thursday said he would study whether to allow UN investigators to the Philippines to investigate the killings. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)