Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6) — United Nations Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard on Saturday refuted Malacañang’s claim that she had not informed the government of her visit to the Philippines to take part in an academic conference.
“On 28 April 2017, the Government was officially informed of my forthcoming visit to the country to take part in an academic conference on drug related issues. The Government was also informed that the trip was not an official visit,” she said in a statement.
Callamard, who is in the Philippines as a guest speaker for a two-day drug policy forum, said the Philippine government acknowledged receipt of her letter and reacted to the information with letters on April 29 and May 1.
She added, she had exchanged communications by phone, mail, and email with the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the U.N. until May 4.
Callamard has been at odds with President Rodrigo Duterte over the deaths allegedly taking place under the administration’s war on drugs, and had been seeking a probe on the alleged killings.
Human rights organizations have reported over 7,000 drug-related deaths since the campaign was launched in July 2016, although statistics from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) put deaths at 2,692.
READ: Duterte admin to defend drug war before UN in Geneva
Speaking at the “Drug Issues, Different Perspectives” forum held in University of the Philippines Diliman on Friday, Callamard condemned the war on drugs again, urging international commitments on combating illegal drugs.
But in her statement on Saturday, Callamard clarified her visit to the Philippines is for an academic conference and is not an official country visit.
She said she will not be assessing the country’s human rights situation or filing a report at the Human Rights Council.
Her statements come after the Palace on Friday slammed Callamard’s visit to the country, saying it “circumvents all recognized United Nations protocols for such visits.”
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Malacañang was disappointed Callamard had not contacted the government in advance, adding it was a clear signal she was not interested in getting an objective assessment of the issue at hand.
Abella also noted Callamard’s visit coincided with the departure of a “senior-level delegation” to Geneva, who are set to meet with the UN High Commission for Human Rights for the 3rd Cycle of the Universal Period Review of the Philippines.
“If Dr. Callamard is committed to ensuring due process to our government and a truly objective assessment of our record on an issue of tremendous importance to our nation, she should be in Geneva meeting with our representatives,” he said.
READ: Malacañang slams visit of UN rapporteur to PH
Palace ‘stands by’ its statement
Malacañang on Saturday said it stood by its statement, despite Callamard pronouncements saying otherwise.
In a statement made in reply to Callamard’s claims, the Palace said the special rapporteur had “conveniently failed to disclose” that the government asked her to reconsider the speaking arrangement in light of the Philippine delegation’s trip to Geneva.
“The Mission asked her to reconsider the trip since Philippine officials would be in Geneva at the same time for the Universal Periodic Review, and were expecting to see her, that being the appropriate venue to meet,” Abella said.
Abella said Callamard’s reply came only on the day she left for the Philippines.
“This was neither timely nor proper courtesy accorded to a sovereign nation. We stand by our statement,” he wrote.
Willing to investigate
Despite this, Callamard said Saturday she is still open to probing the country’s drug war in the future.
“Absolutely. I am committed to continue my dialogue with the government and I am committed to undertake an official visit either by myself or with the special rapporteur,” she said after the forum in UP Diliman.
Last December, Callamard rejected the Philippine government’s offer for her to investigate the spate of killings after the government set three conditions for allowing the UN Probe.
These conditions included a public debate between Callamard and Duterte before the media, allowing Duterte to ask her questions, and taking an oath.
READ: U.N. special rapporteur rejects government conditions
In her statement, Callamard said she merely rejected the conditions the government had imposed on the visit, as they did not comply with the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council’s rules and methods of work
Callamard also said she still wants to conduct an official visit to the Philippines as long as the government lifts is conditions on her.
“I look forward to a positive engagement with the Government of the Philippines on issues of interest to my mandate. I remain deeply committed to undertake an official visit to the country,” she said.
Callamard is in the Philippines as a guest speaker for the forum, “Drug Issues, Different Perspectives,” at the University of the Philippines (UP) from May 5 to 6.
The forum, organized by the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Commission on Human Rights.
CNN Philippines’ Rex Remitio and Regine Cabato contributed to this report
