As the Philippines awaits for the United Nation’s investigation into the country’s alleged extrajudicial killings brought by the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, a Catholic prelate encouraged those who will partake in the probe to “tell the truth.”
Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes urged police officers who could be called by UN special rapporteurs to answer questions regarding the country’s method of eradicating narcotics in the country to “listen to their conscience.”
The bishop stands by his belief that human rights are indeed violated as the government tries to fight the proliferation of illegal drugs, and that law enforcers should reveal this truth.
“Who knows, some policemen stricken by their conscience tell the truth and reveal real crimes of killing innocent people without respect for the judicial process,” he said in an interview.
President Rodrigo Duterte, in a speech on Thursday, ordered the military and cops not to answer questions from the UN rapporteurs, questioning the latter’s authority to “interfere” with how he runs the country.
According to the bishop, this move of Duterte shows how afraid he is that the administration’s wrongdoings might be bared.
“This is what Duterte is afraid of: that the policemen might tell the truth of EJK’s and will therefore ‘betray’ the President!” he said.
Bastes stressed that Duterte fears to “face the truth that through his authority the PNP has committed crimes against humanity.”
(DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 03/ 05 /18)