NUPL urges DOJ: Publicize report on drug war killings

The Department of Justice (DOJ) should publish its report on the review made on 52 cases of police anti-illegal drugs operations that resulted in deaths, National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) president Edre Olalia said.

Olalia made the call in support of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Michelle Bachelet statement on Thursday (Oct. 7) asking for “publication of the panel’s findings so its work can be evaluated.”

A DOJ-led panel has already finished its review on the 52 cases and has already submitted its report to President Rodrigo Duterte and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“We subscribe to the need to publish the findings of the rather belated ‘investigations’ by the Philippine government on the paltry cases related to the ‘drug war’ so it can be ‘evaluated’ and to ensure transparency,” Olalia said.

“Continuing secrecy on matters of paramount public interest engenders distrust and cynicism,” he added.

The lawyer said “HCHR Bachelet remains ‘disturbed’ over the continuing severe killings and other human rights violations by security forces in regard to the ‘drug war’ and counterinsurgency where human standards are ‘ignored,’ to say the least.”

With this, he said “we find some comfort in the fact that her office ‘remains deeply concerned’ that red-tagging which publicly discredits civil society continues and puts the targets at ‘huge risk’ including human rights defenders, environmental advocates and lawyers.”

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)