Palace to verify claim release of activists’ bodies blocked

MANILA – Malacañang on Thursday vowed to look into allegations that Philippine Army officers were blocking the release to relatives of the remains of some activists killed in a series of police raids in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Rizal provinces.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after rights group Karapatan said at least 20 soldiers were “physically preventing” the relatives from claiming the victims’ bodies.

Roque said he would call Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff, Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, to verify if the allegations are true.

“Let me look into it. I will call General Sobejana after this broadcast,” he said in a Palace press briefing from Dumaguete.

Roque raised the possibility that the delay in the release of the victims’ remains was because they were still being autopsied.

“As a lawyer with experience on investigation and prosecuting killings, importante po talaga na ma-subject (It’s really important to subject them) to autopsy because physical evidence will not lie,” he said.

Roque noted that it was “standard operating procedure” or SOP for accredited government physicians to perform autopsies before remains are released.

“Siguro po kaya nga po naaantala yung pag-release (Perhaps the reason for the delay in the release of the remains) is there is a need to subject them to autopsy kasi SOP po ‘yan kapag meron talagang krimen na nangyari, dapat talaga i-subject to autopsy (because it’s SOP to investigate when deaths are associated with crimes),” he said.

Karapatan earlier expressed concern that relatives and paralegals of the victims may be subjected to harassment and intimidation due to heavy police and military presence within the premises of the funeral parlor.

Roque said he did not know if indeed harassment took place.

“What is happening is we are investigating and the autopsy is part of the investigation so we could prosecute and punish the perpetrators if there are any,” he added.

Give PH a chance

Roque reassured the European Union (EU) Delegation to the Philippines that the government is investigating the killing of nine activists in simultaneous police and military operations in the Calabarzon region.

“I ask the European Union, please give the Philippines a chance to discharge its obligation to investigate, punish, and prosecute those who may have breached our domestic laws. We are undertaking and discharging the state obligation to investigate, prosecute, and punish,” he said.

The EU earlier welcomed the announcement made by the Philippine government to investigate the killings, recalling the commitment made by the Philippines at the Human Rights Council to ensure accountability for human rights violations and abuses in full compliance with its international human rights obligations.

Roque said the Philippine National Police (PNP) has also begun training on the use of body cameras to ensure accountability in law enforcement operations and expects to start using them by April.

“Naririyan na po ang mga body cams. Nagte-training na po tayo at inaasahan po natin magagamit na po ang mga body cams na ‘yan sa buwan ng Abril nang maiwasan po yung pagduda ng taongbayan kung ano talaga ang mga pangyayari pag mayroon pong napatay. Dahil ang body cam ay physical evidence at hindi po magsisinungaling ang physical evidence (The body cams are there. They’re training and we expect them to start using body cams in April to avoid doubts over the circumstances when someone is killed. Body cams are physical evidence and physical evidence won’t lie),” he said.

Last March 7, nine individuals were killed in simultaneous police operations in the provinces of Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite. Rights groups said they were mere activists.

Six died in Rizal, two in Batangas, and one in Cavite, according to police reports.

Meanwhile, six people were arrested, three each in Laguna and Rizal.

Rights groups condemned the killings, but the PNP maintained that they were “legitimate operations” and that the activists fought back.

The Commission on Human Rights and the Department of Justice-led task force on extrajudicial killings are conducting separate investigations on the incidents.