UN human rights probe of Philippines human rights abuses in drug war not ”foreign intrusion”: AI

July 8, 2019

Amnesty International on Monday said an investigation by a United Nations body on the Philippines "war on illegal drugs" is not "foreign intrusion".

In a press briefing, Butch Olano, section director of  Amnesty International Philippines said the United Nations Human Rights Council will vote on July 12 whether they will initiate an independent investigation into human rights violations in the war against drugs.

"For this one, I will say this first before (Presidential Spokesperson Salvador) Panelo say that this is a foreign intrusion into our sovereignty. In my opinion, this is not foreign intrusion because there are a lot of Filipinos affected by EJK (extrajudicial killings) and the war on drugs," said Olano, citing an SWS survey showing 51 million Filipinos are afraid of being a victim.

He said an investigation by an international body can be done even if the country does not cooperate.

"It has been done before so I think the UN will have ways and the UNHRC will have ways to be able to come up with a report," he said.

Olano said the UNHRC can even use the 54 communications they have submitted to the International Criminal Court as a basis.

Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty International's Regional Director for East and Southeast Asia, said through Skype they are concerned with the lack of engagement by the government in respect to what is happening in the Philippines.

"I think what we have documented in the investigation amount to very serious crime under the international law and there is a need for accountability," he said.

Bequelin said the UN's system is based on three things which are peace, security and human rights.

"And we seen here (in the Philippines) to have the situation where we have widespread violation of human rights. So accountability must happen. There is no indication that the government intent to investigate," he said.

"No other avenue than an international investigation," he said.

Based on the Amnesty International's second report on the government's war in drugs, they called for the UN to immediately open an investigation on human rights violations and possible crimes against humanity committed by the government.

The Philippine National Police said they recorded 6,600 deaths in their anti-drug operations since July 2016. 

It was the Iceland who submitted the draft resolution calling for an investigation on the Philippines' war on drugs to the UNHRC. Ella Dionisio/DMS