Palace calls “auxiliary noise” talks on EJKs

October 10, 2017

Talks on the alleged extrajudicial killings were "auxiliary noise" as the Duterte administration has been taking steps to remove rogue policemen, Malacanang said on Tuesday.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella noted the dismissal of two police generals, the relieve of the entire Caloocan City police personnel, and the over 1,900 drug-related investigations against law enforcement.

"In summary, we need to understand that these things are being addressed. Except that perhaps there's a lot of noise on the outside and auxiliary noise," he said.

Abella reiterated that Duterte is "quite serious" in addressing the issue on extrajudicial killings.

Local and international human rights groups have been criticizing the Duterte administration on his bloody war on drugs.

Abella said the Duterte government has not repealed or revoked Administrative Order No. 35, which defines extrajudicial killing .

He said that under AO 35, adopted and signed on April 18, 2013 during the Aquino administration, extrajudicial killings have been referred to as, “wherein the victim was a member of or affiliated with an organization to include political, environmental, agrarian, labor, similar causes, or an advocate of above-named causes or the media practitioner or persons apparently mistaken or identified to be so.”

"So AO 35 also referred to EJKs, 'when the victim was targeted and killed because of the actual or perceived membership, advocacy or profession, or the persons responsible for the killings as state agent or non-state agent and the method and circumstances of attack reveal a deliberate intent to kill',” he explained.

He added AO 35 has not been repealed or revoked, thus, the definition of EJK under the Duterte administration remains the same.

The Duterte administration has been insisting that extrajudicial killings are not state-sanctioned. Celerina Monte/DMS