Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 15) — President Rodrigo Duterte has not made any comment yet on the recent killing of nine activists in Southern Tagalog because he is waiting for the results of the investigation, the Palace said Monday.
“You cannot comment on something not knowing what actually transpired,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on the chief executive’s lack of reaction on the issue.
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Over a week has passed since the Philippine National Police reported the deaths in separate operations cracking down on activists in provinces in the Calabarzon region. The Palace had assured an investigation is underway after the incident.
During Monday’s briefing, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said they have already assessed that the killings fall under the Administrative Order (AO) 35 committee, an inter-agency panel tasked to investigate extrajudicial killings and other politically motivated violence.
“Last week, I have already created the necessary special investigating teams to be led by DOJ prosecutors and to be supported by investigators from our law enforcement agencies, ‘no, para masimulan na kaagad ang investigation [so that the investigation can be started immediately],” said Guevarra, also assuring they are on their way to conducting the probe.
The European Union earlier welcomed the state’s move to investigate the activists’ demise, but also reminded the Philippines of its prior commitment to hold liable perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses.
