Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 29) — For the first time under President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, top human rights and police officials met on Tuesday to discuss the alleged extrajudicial killings amid enhanced anti-illegal drug operations.
Following the meeting, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) had requested for the complete case folders of all cases involving deaths from police operations and other deaths under investigation, which the police agreed to provide.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-in-Charge Catalino Cuy said the meeting, which was attended by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa and CHR head Chito Gascon, was cordial.
“We agreed na ang CHR and DILG and PNP, wala namang conflict with regards to humans rights. It is one of our priorities also so wala tayong pagtatalunan dyan,” Cuy said.
Human Rights officials said in a media briefing they want to gather information beginning in May 2016, with Gascon saying he hopes to speed up their investigation.
The PNP and CHR agreed to meet every month.
“Hindi po kami in the business of obstructing justice. Ang pakay namin ay tumulong na magkaroon ng katarungan ang lahat…Umaasa kami na ang hihingiin na tulong at proteksyon sa pamahalaan ay bibigyan ng espasyo ng HR groups as we do these case reviews,” Gascon said.
[Translation:We are not in the business of obstucting justice. Our objective is to help everyone attain justice…We appeal to the government to give the HR groups space as we do these case reviews.]
He added if President Duterte is open to the probe on 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos without interference, then it should be the same treatment for other cases.
