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Palace says Karapatan filing of EJK cases to UN 'propaganda'

December 3, 2017 | 7:46am

Palace says Karapatan filing of EJK cases to UN 'propaganda'

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said it was “useless” for Karapatan to go to the UN without filing cases before the local courts or fiscals. Presidential Communications, File

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Sunday dismissed as “propaganda” the move of human rights group Karapatan to file complaints before the United Nations over the supposed extrajudicial killings spawned by the government’s anti-insurgency campaign.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said it was “useless” to go to the UN without filing cases before the local courts or fiscals.

“Filing directly with the UN is only for propaganda purposes because there are institutions in the Philippines that could address it,” Roque said in a text message.

“So they should file it in the fiscal’s office, they should file it with the Supreme Court for writ of Amparo if they’re concerned about upholding the right to life,” he added.

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Roque said he has not seen the complaints filed by Karapatan and was not aware whether the group filed charges before the court. He reminded the group that the state, not international bodies like the UN, is duty-bound to investigate alleged cases of extrajudicial killings.

“Karapatan knows that it can avail of all domestic remedial mechanisms. The pillars of the criminal justice system in the Philippines remain to be effective and our legal processes are well-functioning,” Roque said in a statement.

“We, therefore, hope that they will file their complaints in the proper courts not before the so-called human rights rapporteurs who have politicized views of the Philippines’ campaign against illegal drugs,” he added.

READ: Palace hits UN experts: Don't bully us

Earlier, Karapatan filed complaints before the UN accusing Philippine government forces of killing civilians in line with the Duterte administration’s intensified counter-insurgency program.

In the complaint, the group claimed that security forces are behind the deaths of some peasants, indigenous peoples, Moros, workers, women and young people and does not make a distinction between combatants and civilians.

Karapatan, a vocal critic of the military and the police, has also urged UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killing Agnes Callamard and UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders Michel Forst to immediately investigate 25 cases of alleged summary killings.

Callamard has drawn the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte for criticizing the killings linked to his war on illegal drugs. The president has threatened to slap her if she investigates him over the alleged extrajudicial killings.

READ: Rights group calls Duterte 'a madman’ for ranting against UN

Roque said Karapatan was only after political mileage when it filed complaints before the UN. He also described the filing of the complaint as “unfortunate.”

“Certainly, Karapatan knows the cases will not prosper there in the UN. It is the political mileage they are after in pursuit of their continued intent to malign this administration, through the special rapporteurs who only seem too willing to act based on fake political information,” the presidential spokesman said.

Roque reminded Karapatan that the president has formed an interagency committee that will look into extralegal killings.

Karapatan filed similar complaints before Callamard and Frost last April. The group claimed to have recorded 104 victims of extrajudicial killings under the government’s campaign against insurgency from July 2016 to October this year.

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Duterte’s pronouncements on the crackdown on progressive groups have emboldened state forces to violate the people’s rights, Karapatan added.

Last month, Duterte terminated the peace negotiations with communists and threatened to launch a crackdown on the groups conspiring with the rebels.

Duterte said the talks were scrapped because the communists were seeking a coalition government, a set-up that he believes is tantamount to “sharing” the Philippines’ sovereignty with the insurgents. He also criticized the rebels for mounting attacks that harmed innocent civilians.

Duterte has also announced plans to issue an executive order designating the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the communists, as a terrorist group. He has also ordered soldiers and policemen to shoot armed rebels and has vowed to defend government forces from complaints that may arise from the crackdown.

Critics are worried that the remarks of Duterte may lead to the arrest and detention of activists and members of militant groups critical of the administration.

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