PRESS RELEASE
30 April 2017

CHR Chair Chito Gascon’s response to PNP Chief Bato de la Rosa’s statement on the Manila Police District Station 1’s secret jail

It is prudent that in matters that may involve malfeasance or misconduct by public officials – particularly when this affect fundamental human rights, as in this case – that their superiors refrain from making statements that appear to be condoning the same. Otherwise, to do so further encourages the climate of impunity that perpetuates wrongful action because the wrong doers are not held accountable or punished. Bato shouldn’t so quickly brush this aside!

That he would choose, by his statements, to even justify the operation of this hidden jail as a necessary measure to address the problem of jail congestion also reflects his personal ignorance of both the constitutional and legal provisions that expressly prohibit the maintenance of secret detention facilities by public authorities.

I challenge him to undertake a full audit of all places of detention under the control of the PNP to ensure no other cases akin or similar to what was uncovered in MPD Station 1 exists as I am concerned that this may not be an isolated incident. We welcome his call to the CHR to conduct other jail visits and are prepared to work with the PNP in undertaking this full review and audit of all places of detention. We hope we might be able to meet with him on this and other matters of common concern at the soonest possible time as he has thus far ignored our request from months back to meet in order how we might all explore ways and means to guarantee that all human rights to all persons are guaranteed at all times such as when law enforcers conduct their operations.

I remind him that when he and all other public officials took their oaths of office that it also includes the positive obligation to uphold the laws of the land of which human rights are part and parcel. As to his allusions as to timing, its best he do his job as we will too.