Ex-justice Secretary Quizzes Parameters On UN Probe

A former Justice Secretary has questioned the parameters that has been set by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in welcoming an independent United Nations (UN) investigation on the series of drug-related death incidents under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Following Duterte's remarks in General Santos City, explaining that the extrajudicial slays were not a state policy and that his orders were for the police to kill any suspect who would present “violent resistance,” and if there is a need to defend themselves, the DFA, on Friday, laid down its parameters for international investigators, including “the list of people to be interviewed and places to be visited.”

The international organizations such as UN and the EU “need to agree to the protocols and parameters that we will set before they are allowed to visit the country,” DFA spokesperson Charles Jose said, explaining that certain restrictions were for safety reasons.

De Lima, however, felt the parameters were contrary to the spirit of the invitation.

“What is the sense of inviting independent probers if they are not going to be allowed freedom of movement and action, and are going to be dictated upon on the extent of their visits and sources of information?,” she said.

“Under any standards, an investigation under such constraints can no longer be deemed independent. Protocol does not mean censorship and control over the ability of the UN team to conduct an independent, credible and exhaustive probe,” the senator added.

In a statement, Senator Leila De Lima on Saturday likened the parameters to “censorship and control.”

“While it is within the prerogatives of the Philippine government as the host country, through the DFA, to set reasonable parameters for the visit of the UN special rapporteurs and other UN probers, I find questionable the announced rule that it is the government that will decide the places to be visited and the persons to be interviewed by these probers,” De Lima said in a text message.

“What kind of investigation do we expect if the government is going to decide how the investigation is going to be conducted by the UN rapporteur’s team?” she told the Inquirer when sought for comment.

Duterte had invited the UN, the European Union and, most recently, United States President Barack Obama to visit the country and investigate the slays that reportedly have exceeded to 3,000.

However, the said number has been repeatedly explained by police and the government that not all the deaths could be attributed to the intensified and massive anti-drugs campaign.

Earlier this week, De Lima filed a resolution seeking Senate action to prod the administration to welcome a UN probe, following her removal of her chairmanship from the Senate committee on justice and human rights while there's an on going inquiry against the present administration's drug war.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer