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UN rights body launches probe into Philippines drug war deaths

  • July 11, 2019

The UN Human Rights Council voted on Thursday to initiate a probe into the Philippines controversial war on drugs led by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The resolution, tabled by Iceland, was passed by 18 countries in favor and 14 against, with 15 abstentions, including Japan.

The exact number of deaths in Duterte’s violent war on drugs cannot be verified, but at least 6,000 have died since he launched the campaign upon taking office in mid-2016, in operations the police said suspects were armed and fought back.

Non-government groups have claimed a much higher death toll, including many suspects killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen who human rights groups suspect were financed by police officers. Human Rights Watch said more than 12,000 people have died.

Read more: Philippines releases documents detailing drug war tactics

“This is not just a step towards paying justice for the thousands of families of victims of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, but it is also a message that we collectively send out to those who have praised President Duterte,” said Ellecer Carlos from the Manila-based rights group iDefend.

“This war on drugs, as we have repeatedly said, is a sham war,” he told media in Geneva.

On Monday, Amnesty International urged the United Nations to investigate potential “crimes against humanity” that occurred in the Philippines during Duterte’s bloody anti-drug crackdown.

In its report “They Just Kill,” the London-based rights watchdog urged the UN Human Rights Council to approve a resolution calling for an investigation into the Philippines, where there was now a “perilous normalization” of illegal executions and police abuses.

Read more: Germany rebukes Philippine envoy over Hitler comments, war on drugs

  • Drogenkrieg auf den Philippinen (Raffy Lerma)

    Philippines’ war on drugs — Remembering the dead

    Daunting challenge

    Mimi Garcia holds the pictures of her son Richard and daughter-in-law Robilyn who were killed by masked vigilantes on motorbikes at their shanty home in Camarin, Caloocan city, on October 7, 2016. She faces the daunting responsibility of taking care of her two grandchildren while being jobless at the same time.

  • Drogenkrieg auf den Philippinen (Raffy Lerma)

    Philippines’ war on drugs — Remembering the dead

    Brutal incidents

    Andres Fernandez and his son Wesley rest at an altar inside the family home in Bagong Silang, Caloocan. On October 4, 2016, two armed men in masks went inside the Fernandez home and pointed a gun at Wesley. They made him kneel as Andres tried to help. They responded by shooting at Andres first before killing Wesley.

  • Drogenkrieg auf den Philippinen (Raffy Lerma)

    Philippines’ war on drugs — Remembering the dead

    Suspicious killings

    One of the children of alleged pusher Kenneth Trasmano lights a candle during the wake of his father in Manila. Kenneth was killed in a police undercover operation after allegedly fighting back on February 2, 2018. His family and neighbors claim the police forced them to leave their homes and get out of sight, and thereafter heard the gunshots.

  • Drogenkrieg auf den Philippinen (Raffy Lerma)

    Philippines’ war on drugs — Remembering the dead

    Left alone

    A child holds the pictures of her deceased father Joseph and grandfather Marcelo. Marcelo was killed in a police operation inside their home on July 22, 2016. Her father was rounded up and taken by the police. His lifeless body was later found “salvaged” along a roadside.

  • Drogenkrieg auf den Philippinen (Raffy Lerma)

    Philippines’ war on drugs — Remembering the dead

    Last message

    The picture shows letters written by children who have lost either one of their parents in the drug war, as part of their counselling session at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Camarin, Caloocan city.

  • Drogenkrieg auf den Philippinen (Raffy Lerma)

    Philippines’ war on drugs — Remembering the dead

    Funeral march

    Family and friends walk the funeral procession of Rogelio Gilbuena and his common law wife Jenny Royo, who were both found dead (several hours apart) in different locations in Navotas city, Manila. Prior to their death, the couple were taken from their house in Navotas by 10 men who introduced themselves as police.

  • Drogenkrieg auf den Philippinen (Raffy Lerma)

    Philippines’ war on drugs — Remembering the dead

    Remembering the dead

    Families of victims of drug-related extrajudicial killings offer flowers to their departed loved ones during the Holy Eucharistic Mass Action in Bagong Silang, Caloocan.

  • Drogenkrieg auf den Philippinen (Raffy Lerma)

    Philippines’ war on drugs — Remembering the dead

    Calling for justice

    Her husband Luis and her son, Gabriel, were killed in September 2016. During their burial, she was stoic. The days after she had laid them to rest were different. “I began looking for them and could not stop crying.” MA nowadays attends protest rallies calling for a stop to drug-related killings and justice for those who have died. She hides her face as she doesn’t want to be identified.

    Author: Raffy Lerma (Manila), Ana P. Santos (Manila), Rodion Ebbighausen


Manila condemns resolution

The Philippines rejected the UN resolution, saying it was “politically partisan and one-sided.”

The Philippine ambassador to the UN, Evan Garcia, said after the vote that the Duterte administration was committed to upholding justice. “We will not tolerate any form of disrespect or acts of bad faith. There will be consequences,” Garcia said.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. also warned of “far-reaching” consequences for countries that supported the resolution.

“Do not presume to threaten states with accountability for a rough approach to crushing crime, at which some of your countries are complicit at worst and tolerant at best,” he said in a statement.

“You don’t have the wherewithal, so all you can do is insult. Thus, the Philippines rejects this resolution,” he added.

Human Rights Watch’s Laila Matar slammed Philippine authorities for their response to the resolution.

“It was quite clear that they threatened consequences for those who had supported the resolution, which in turn makes us concerned for the many human rights defenders, civil society activists and journalists on the ground,” she said.

When asked by reporters in Manila whether he would allow a UN investigation into drug war,  Duterte replied: “Let them state their purpose, and I will review.”

Read more: Journalist Maria Ressa: ‘President Duterte is bullying media organizations’

shs/sms (dpa, Reuters)

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Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/un-rights-body-launches-probe-into-philippines-drug-war-deaths/a-49560449?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf

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