Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) — President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday that the government cannot divulge information on those who were killed by authorities in its anti-drug and anti-terrorism campaigns.
Duterte explained in his weekly address that this is not because the government wants to hide something, but more of a security issue.
This statement from Duterte runs counter to the willingness expressed by Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar to allow the Department of Justice access to police records on Duterte’s controversial drug war.
Last week, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra announced that the PNP chief agreed to share records of 61 drug war-related cases, involving hundreds of cops nationwide, where the PNP had established “clear” administrative or criminal liability on the part of its officers.
The said department is at the helm of a panel assigned to review over 5,000 drug-related operations of law enforcers that supposedly led to the death of thousands of suspects. The group will determine whether charges should be filed against cops involved.
Duterte also emphasized that he, himself, has no access and does not bother to know such information.
“I do not even know kung sino iyang mga yan (who those people are). I do not ask for it, and I do not bother to really go out of my way knowing because kasali ako sa mga taong na di nakakaalam ( I am among those who do not know). What I get is the result of the operation but as to the basis and to the people involved and suspects and yung mga (their) references nila at mga (and their) sources ng (of) operation, these cannot be revealed,” he said.
The president then suggested to people who want to look into these records to go to the police to have access.
Not in reference to PNP-DOJ cooperation
In a media briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque clarified that Duterte’s statement was not about the PNP’s recent move to share with the DOJ its records on some drug war-related cases.
What the President was referring to, Roque said, were ongoing police investigations that were “never subject to freedom of information.”
“Syempre ‘yung sensitibo na involving live investigations, hindi po pwedeng ilabas,” he said. “Pero everything else naman po na para magkaroon ng pananagutan at mataas pa ‘yung professionalism ng ating mga pulis ay hindi naman po sakop.”
[Translation: Of course, sensitive information involving live investigations cannot be disclosed. But everything else done to hold police accountable and elevate their professionalism is not covered.]
“Gusto ninyong kunin, hindi namin maibigay lahat [You want to secure it, but we cannot give everything] not because we are hiding some facts that (are) known to us (and) unknown to you. Kasali na dito iyong [This involves a] national security issue,” he said.
“Kagaya nung mga [Just like the] NPA, we have records that those who have died but to have derogatory records in our files at may [and there are] references sila na tao [on persons] and what they do, we cannot divulge it to anybody but only to the military and to the police,” he added.
