The Commission on Human Rights staunchly calls on the Philippine government to investigate the abduction and killing of South Korean national Jee Ick Joo allegedly by members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) last October.
The Commission affirms the statement of NHRCK Chairperson Lee Sung-ho that “Human rights are a matter of universal values that transcend national boundaries and borders,” and supports his call for the Philippine government to respect human rights and abide by the principles of due process. The right to life is a fundamental and primordial right which inheres in every human being regardless of race, gender, religion and status, among others.
The circumstances surrounding the kidnapping and killing of Jee Ick Joo which was revealed by Chief PNP Ronald dela Rosa is a cause for alarm for everyone. Equally alarming is the revelation of the Chief PNP that the killing took place within the premises of the police headquarters which depicts the worsening culture of impunity in the Philippines. Similarly, the allegation that the kidnap for ransom is linked to the drug campaign of the PNP highlights the imperative to revisit the campaign. Amidst the rising toll of extra-judicial killings in the country, the so-called “war on drugs” has become a convenient cover for rogue elements within the PNP to commit other crimes, such as kidnapping for ransom of foreign nationals.
Finally, the Commission reminds the PNP to strictly adhere to its Police Operational Procedures (POP), the United Nations Code of Conduct of Police Officers (COCLEO) and to remember that “the PNP must promote and protect human rights because this task lies at the very core of maintaining peace and order, ensuring public safety, and upholding the rule of law in the country” as contained in their PNP Guidebook on Human Rights Based-Policing. ■
PRESS STATEMENT | 26 January 2017