Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 26)— The Commission on Human Rights said it is looking forward to joining a government inter-agency panel’s probe into the deaths linked to the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs.
In a statement on Thursday, the CHR described as “a step in the right direction,” the initial findings of the Justice Department-led panel, which reported that law enforcement failed to follow protocols during anti-drug operations.
“We appreciate that the Secretary of Justice declared that they will cooperate with us and committed to include us in the case build up and evidence gathering in order to bridge victims of human rights violations with government,” the agency said.
“The CHR plays an important role in moving the findings forward. We emphasize, however, that we remain in anticipation of the full report of the review panel and look forward to be included in its processes,” it added.
Presenting the panel’s initial findings before the United Nations Human Rights Council, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevara reported there have been no full examinations on the weapons allegedly used by suspects, and that there has been no effort to verify these weapons’ ownership.
State forces likewise failed to follow standard procedures on coordinating with other agencies and crime scene processing, the panel found.
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Despite this, the CHR said investigations should push through to ensure that “perpetrators are held to account.”
“The victims need to be confident that actions will be taken, and we commit ourselves in making this a reality,” it added.
Launched in 2016, the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign has killed at least 6,000 suspects. But local and international rights groups believe the death toll is much higher.
