Tillerson won’t label deaths in Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’ human rights violations

Rex Tillerson at his confirmation hearing on January 11, 2017. (Photo: Office of the President-elect)

MANILA, Philippines—Rex Tillerson, the businessman US President-elect Donald J. Trump picked to be his State Secretary said on Wednesday that he won’t call the deaths in Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’ human rights violations until he gets access to more information on the globally reported deaths.

In his nine-hour confirmation hearing, Florida Senator Marco Rubio grilled Tillerson by asking the former ExxonMobil CEO his views on human rights violations in Russia and the Philippines.

“Since President Rodrigo Duterte took office last June, the Los Angeles Times reports that roughly over 6,200 people have been killed in the Philippines by police and vigilantes in alleged drug raids. In your view, is this the right way to conduct an anti-drug campaign?” Rubio asked Tillerson.

“Senator, the US and the people of the Philippines have a long standing friendship. I think it’s important that we keep that in perspective in engaging with the government of the Philippines. They have been an ally. We need to ensure that they stay an ally,” Tillerson answered, evading Rubio’s question.

Rubio further pressed Tillerson for answer.

“My question is about the 6, 200 people that have been killed in these alleged drug raids. Do you believe that that is an appropriate way to conduct operation or do you believe that it’s something conducive to human rights violation that we should be concerned about and condemn?”

“It’s an area that I want to understand in details in terms of the facts on the ground,” Tillerson said.

Rubio also said that even Duterte brags about the killings. However, Tillerson maintained his position on the issue.

Later in the hearing, Conneticut senator Chris Murphy steered the discussion back on the issue of human rights violation in the Philippines.

The discussion proceeded as follows:

Murphy: But let’s take the Philippines as an example. I mean, I don’t know that there’s anybody on this committee that would deny that there are extrajudicial killings happening in Philippines. That’s been widely reported, our embassy has reported it, the president himself talks about it. What more information do you need before deeming the Philippines to be a human rights violator? What’s happening there is a massacre that’s there for everyone to see.

Tillerson: I’m sure the committee has seen a lot of evidence that I have not seen. I’m not disputing your conclusion. You’re asking me to make a judgement on only what I’m being told. That’s not how I make judgements.

Murphy: So what information in that case would you need? Who would you need to hear from?

Tillerson: I would want to see the factual basis behind the statistics and the factual connection as to who is committing those acts?

Murphy: But we don’t – a lot of times the factual evidence is reporting by objective observers on the ground.

I’m not initially sure you’re going to get a video tape of an extrajudicial killing, so oftentimes the evidence is the objective reporting we get from sources on the ground, inside a place like the Philippines.

No extrajudicial killings—Duterte

Duterte has repeatedly denied in the past the so-called ‘state-sponsored killings’ in the anti-drug operations of the government.

He said that no member of the police and military force would follow such command.

“Did I tell you to kill? I did not. I never said you should kill drug pushers,” Duterte, addressing village officials, was quoted as saying in a December 29, 2016 Inquirer.net report.

“If they (suspected drug offenders) put up a fight, then shoot them. But those being shot at the back, those wrapped in plastic, that’s not ours,” he added.

UN investigation

In November last year, it was reported that UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Agnes Callamard will visit to the Philippines in 2017 to investigate the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country following Duterte’s declaration of ‘war on drugs.’

The Philippine government set three conditions before Callamard proceeds with the investigation. First, that there would be a public debate between her and Duterte. Second, that Duterte would be allowed to ask her questions. Lastly, that she would take an oath.

In December of that year, Callamard announced that she declined the Duterte administration’s conditions.

She said in a television interview that the investigation should be confidential.

“I cannot build trust, including with the police or with the government, if there is a threat of public debate at the end of the mission,” Callamard was quoted as saying in a CNN Philippines report.

She added that the issue of human rights violation should not be politicized and be used as subject of a debate.