Impunity in Phl continues; 12 journalists killed in 2013 - global watchdog

Manila, Philippines - The Philippine government lacked meaningful action in 2013 to end impunity for extrajudicial killings, torture and enforced disappearances, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

In its World Report 2014, the international watchdog said the Aquino administration has not made significant progress on its pledge to speed up the investigation and prosecution of cases of serious violations of human rights.

"Only two cases of extrajudicial killings have resulted in convictions in the past three years, and even in those cases, the individuals believed most responsible for the killings have not faced justice," the HRW said in its report.

The global watchdog said the weak nature of human rights protections in the Philippines is also reflected in the surge of killings of journalists with little accountability.

According to HRW, 12 journalists were killed in 2013, bringing the total number of Filipino journalists and media workers killed to 26 since President Aquino took office in June 2010.

In only six of those 26 cases have police arrested suspects.

“The body count of Filipino journalists speaks volumes for the wide gap between the Aquino government’s rhetoric in addressing rights problems and the reality on the ground,” said Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

The HRW said the Philippine government’s failure to bring to justice those responsible for the killing of journalists highlighted the climate of impunity for rights abusers in the Philippines.

The group said the masterminds of the killings of the killings of radio commentator and environmentalist Gerry Ortega on January 24, 2011 and journalist Rowell Endrinal on February 11, 2004 remained at large.

During the Zamboanga standoff, detainees in government custody, including several children, described to Human Rights Watch being tortured and otherwise ill-treated while being held.

The HRW also noted that the so-called government "superbody" that was set up in 2012 to expedite the investigation and prosecution of cases of extrajudicial killings remained inactive during much of 2013 even as new cases were reported by domestic human rights groups.

“The Aquino administration has said all the right things about ending abuses in the Philippines, but what’s missing is the political will to translate those promises into action,” Kine said.