Callamard says PHL gov't free to monitor her 'academic visit'

UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Agnes Callamard on Friday said the Philippine government is free to monitor her unofficial visit to the Philippines to participate in a two-day discussion on illegal drug issues.

"They are entitled to monitor me — absolutely. I am here in the invitation of the university and of the task force and I will participate in the discussion — the only contribution and work that I will be doing over the next two days," Callamard told reporters after she delivered her keynote address at the policy forum organized by the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG).

Callamard, in a brief interview with the media, said she is not in the country for an official visit.

Agnes Callamard: I am here because of an invitation to participate in an academic conference. pic.twitter.com/gOSyIrlYgo

— Marlly Bondoc (@marllybondoc) May 5, 2017

"I’m just gonna make a brief statement, I am here solely for the purpose of the conference of the policy forum. I am not here on an official visit," she said.

She added that she is in the Philippines "in response to an invitation to participate in an academic conference and I will be present for the full two days and listening with great attention."

"It's an important conference and an important benchmark which I support wholeheartedly and I invite all parties to the situation, including the government to participate fully and to talk on what’s going to be debated," she said.

Callamard, who will be in the country until Monday, May 8, has repeatedly clashed with President Rodrigo Duterte on the subject of his deadly war on illegal drugs, with Duterte even challenging her for a public debate regarding the alleged extrajudicial killings being linked to the drug war.

She was invited by FLAG's Anti Death Penalty Task Force for a two-day policy forum on the illegal drug problem.

The forum was organized in collaboration with the  UP Diliman Office of the Chancellor and the College of Law's Institute of Human Rights, and was held at GT-Toyota Asian Center Auditorium in Diliman, Quezon City.  —KBK, GMA News