The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) regrets the new position of the Palace preventing the full and unqualified access to cases involving alleged extrajudicial killings linked to the government’s drug campaign. The new statement from the government is a setback just when the Philippine National Police (PNP) has already agreed to open around 7,000 cases to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for investigations. The recent developments made by DOJ and PNP would have been a start in demonstrating a functional justice system if not for this new roadblock.
To recall, in June 2020, the Justice Secretary represented the Philippine government before the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) and reported that DOJ is “quietly conducting a judicious review” of 5,655 anti-illegal drugs operations where death occurred, including those cases being handled by the AO 35 Inter-Agency Committee on Extra-Legal Killings, Enforced Disappearances, Torture, and Other Grave Violations to Life, Liberty and Security of Persons. In the same statement, it was committed that CHR “will be involved in its capacity as an independent monitoring body.” This remark by the Philippine government has been the basis of the UN HRC resolution calling for a technical assistance and capacity building on human rights in the Philippines, despite the report of the High Commissioner of Human Rights Michelle Bachelet of a “widespread and systematic” killings linked to the government’s anti-drug operations and calls for an international, independent, and impartial investigation into the country’s human rights situation.
However, at this point, we note that it is still uncertain if the case files of the around 7,000 cases in question, as well as other government records pertaining to rights violations, will be shared to the CHR for its own independent probe.
CHR remains hopeful that government will return to the course of openness and cooperation in improving the human rights situation in the country. And, in this instance, genuine and straightforward investigations will be the first step in demonstrating sincere commitment to the protection of human rights and the dignity of all.