ASEAN, Japan express support to Philippine anti-illegal drug campaign

May 17, 2017

Aside from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,  Japan expressed its support to the anti-illegal drug campaign of the Philippine government. “Not only ASEAN have manifested that they support ( anti-drug campaign), Japan particularly stated they will continue to give assistance,” Philippine National Police (PNP) Human Rights Affairs Office Director Chief Supt. Dennis Siervo told reporters in Camp Crame Tuesday. “Especially Japan; they have been giving assistance and said they will continue to give assistance to the Philippines,” he added. Siervo said the Philippine delegation in Geneva, led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, presented the human rights situation before United Nations Human Rights Council. “We managed to inform them of the real situation, they said they were only getting the information from the media, they do not have first-hand account from Philippine government of the real situation, so there is only a need for the members of European Union and Philippine delegation to talk,” Siervo said. Siervo said the Philippine delegation clarified the reported 7,000 deaths due to the police’s campaign. “We clarified this. There were only about 2,900 that were involved in the anti-illegal drugs campaign, not 7,000 it was already mixed with other deaths,” he said Siervo said he was able to talk to officials and the European Union’s Philippine representative for capacity building effort particularly in training of printing of the rights of the accused. “I gave them copies of the Miranda (Doctrine) warning. They are very happy,  translated into four other languages and other dialects, Japanese, Taiwanese, Koreans, with big communities here and with members of those conflict with the law,” he added. Siervo said  the Hans Seidel Foundation is providing assistance to the PNP in reproducing the Miranda Doctrine warning and anti-torture booklets or pamphlets. “We (were supposed to) have training this year but it was cancelled because of the 60 percent reduction of their support from the previous year,” he said. “I asked them if they can influence the government of Germany to reconsider and reinstate their support to the foundation with the Philippines, they took cognizance with that,” he added. Siervo said the European Union also offered assistance to the Philippines. “They asked us, what we can do to help you what assistance can we share to you?” he said. “I said we need capacity building assistance to our personnel if you want us to continuously observe UN standards on human rights then you provide us necessary training for this,” he added. . (Robina Asido/DMS)