The Commission on Human Rights welcomes the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) on the case of a drug suspect who the police claimed to have died in a crossfire during a drug buy-bust operation in Antipolo City in 2016.

The appellate court later ruled that suspect Joselito Gonzales was a victim of extralegal killing, and recommended the filing of criminal, administrative, and civil cases against the Antipolo policemen involved, including the local police officials and their successors in office.

The court was not convinced that Gonzales fired back based on the testimony of the police and as supported by the reports from the Scene of the Crime Operatives and the Rizal Provincial Crime Laboratory Office IV-A. The CA decision also notes that the police breached police operation procedures cited in the PNP Criminal Investigation Manual before, during, and after drug buy-bust operations.

As such, the Commission urges the government to place the multitudes of alleged ‘nanlaban’ cases, or those cases involving suspects who supposedly fought back during police operations, under the same court scrutiny to allow truth to prosper and justice be rightfully served.

The recent CA decision does not only demonstrate the rule of law, but also reminds police officials of their equal accountability in the actions of their officers on the ground, especially in the face of human rights violations. ###