Catholic prelate slams Duterte over order to ignore UN rapporteurs’ probe

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in his speech during the opening ceremony of the National Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Challenge at the Team Davao Inc. Pistol and Rifle Range in Ma-a, Davao City on March 1, 2018, expresses his admiration for the SWAT’s role in dealing with criminality, illegal drugs and terrorism. JOEY DALUMPINES/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

A Catholic bishop slammed President Rodrigo Duterte for ordering uniformed men not to answer questions coming from the United Nations (UN) rapporteurs who would conduct an investigation into the administration’s anti-drug campaign.

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said that Duterte is scared that there might be “conscience-stricken” police who will blurt out the truth on the increasing incidents of extrajudicial killings in the country.

“This is what Duterte is afraid of: that the policemen might tell the truth of EJK’s and will therefore ‘betray’ the President!” Bastes said in an interview.

“Who knows, some policemen stricken by their conscience (might) tell the truth and reveal real crimes of killing innocent people without respect for the judicial process,” he added.

This statement came after Duterte directed soldiers and police officers to ignore questions from UN probers.

“Pagdating ng human rights o sino mang rapporteur diyan, ang order ko sa inyo (When human rights rapporteurs arrive, my order to you is) — Do not answer. Do not bother,” the President said during the National Special Weapon and Tactics (swat) Challenge in Davao City on Thursday.

“Why would we be answering — Bakit sino sila (Who are they)? And who are you to interfere in the way I would run my country? You know very well that we are being swallowed by drugs,” he added.

The prelate asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) not to follow this order, adding that Duterte’s “bad conscience” is concealing the truth on the violations of human rights and the killings in the anti-drug campaign to come to light.

“Duterte is simply afraid to face the truth that through his authority the PNP has committed crimes against humanity,” Bastes stressed.

The Palace earlier said that it was open to an investigation by the UN, but clarified that it should not be done by special rapporteur Agnes Callamard. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that he would recommend another rapporteur who can conduct a probe on the controversial war on drugs.

Despite this decision, Roque stressed that Callamard is still welcome in the Philippines, not as UN prober but as a tourist who will enjoy the beautiful sceneries of the country.

“Welcome po siya dahil (She is welcome because) after all, we welcome all tourists,” the Palace official said.

Roque added that Callamard must not make it look like that she is in the country to investigate.

“Kaya lang ang masama doon huwag niyang palalabasin na nag-imbestiga siya kasi ang pagpasok sa Pilipinas, hindi naman po iyan katumbas ng pag-iimbestiga (But she must not make it appear that she is here to investigate because entering the Philippines is not equivalent to conducting inquiry),” he said.

“So kung siya po ay papasok sabihin niya, nagkaroon siya ng obserbasyon bilang turista (So if she would come here, she should say that she is having an observation as a tourist),” he continued.

In September 2017, the Philippine government also turned down Ghana’s recommendation to have Callamard to come to the country and look into the said killings allegedly brought by the drug war.