MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has urged lawmakers to pass a law that would protect whistleblowers as part of the government’s efforts to address criminality in the country.
“To eradicate the prevalent cultures of fear and silence that have hounded our justice system, I ask Congress, you, to enact the Whistleblower Protection Law while the present Witness Protection Program shall be strengthened,” Duterte said during his first State of the Nation Address last Monday.
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Bills seeking to provide additional benefits and protection and immunity from prosecution to whistleblowers have been filed before in Congress but these were bypassed.
These bills aim to complement the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act (Republic Act 6981) by protecting the identities of witnesses and shielding them from any charges that stem from their revelations.
Duterte also vowed to increase the number of lawyers and support staff of the Public Attorneys Office to provide indigents more access to counsels.
“To address backlogs and low prosecutorial effectiveness and efficiency, the investigation and case management processes shall be streamlined, including those for illegal drugs and heinous crimes,” the president added.
Duterte also maintained that the government does not condone the violence and repression against members of the media.
“The bona fide media has always been our partner for change,” he said.
Duterte has been severely criticized for saying that some of the slain media practitioners were involved in dubious deals. Some groups, however, interpreted his statement as an endorsement and justification of media killings.
The backlash prodded Duterte to evade the media, whom he accused of twisting his statement. He has also refused to ban interviews until the end of his term.