Philippines: UN denounces "virtual impunity" in "war on drugs"

Text by: RFI Follow

The United Nations human rights office has just published a very harsh report on the Philippine security apparatus. Large-scale killings under the guise of the fight against drugs, the criminal justice system, police impunity. A blackboard since President Rodrigo Duterte came to power in 2016.

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"  Widespread, constant and systematic violations of human rights in the Philippines, coupled with permanent impunity that has never wavered  ." This is what the report of UN investigators in the Philippines denounces, for which Ravina Shamdasani is responsible. In the firing line, the war declared on drugs by the Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte, since his election in 2016.

"  We are particularly worried about this governance, which has a heavy hand in matters of national security, " she warned at the microphone of Vincent Souriau , journalist for the international service of RFI. This is true as well in the fight against drug trafficking as in the resolution of armed conflicts, and up to the management of the Covid-19 epidemic.  For Ravina Shamdasani, in the Philippines, "  national security comes first, while society's problems are not resolved by violating human rights: in reality, it only makes things worse  " .

New report shows heavy-handed focus on countering national security threats & illegal drugs has resulted in serious rights violations in the #Philippines 🇵🇭
"People who use or sell drugs do not lose their #HumanRights" - UN Human Rights Chief @mbachelet 👉 https : //t.co/GmLXjaVSrr pic.twitter.com/LpM2eP6kQp

Shot dead by masked police

Since 2016, police have been encouraged, at the highest level, to kill suspected drug traffickers, and thousands have been shot dead by police or masked snipers, said the human rights office. United Nations. Many victims had previously been placed on so-called " watch lists   " drawn up by local authorities.

The police then went to their home, where they often killed them on the grounds of self-defense. However, details in police reports question this version of the facts, according to the UN office. For example, two handguns were each found at five different crime scenes.

"  Despite credible accusations of widespread and systematic extrajudicial killings in the war on drugs, there is almost impunity for such violations,  " said the report.

"  True independent and credible investigation  "

The head of the UN investigators insisted on "  the scale of these violations, including extrajudicial executions, and the failure of local institutions which have never brought the culprits to justice  ". It therefore calls for a "  genuine independent and credible investigation, whether national or international  ".

The report will be presented in June to the United Nations Human Rights Council, which commissioned it last year. An initiative castigated by Rodrigo Duterte who had even temporarily suspended loans and grants from the nations that supported this report.

According to the Philippine Drug Control Agency, police killed around 5,600 people suspected of drug trafficking during official operations. According to independent organizations , the real balance sheet is at least three times higher.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) opened a preliminary investigation in February 2018 into the violence committed as part of this fierce crackdown on drug trafficking. The President of the Philippines then announced that his country  was withdrawing from the Treaty of Rome , the founder of the International Criminal Court.

(and with AFP)

► Listen: Philippines: the fight against drugs by Rodrigo Duterte

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• Philippines
• Rodrigo Duterte
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