Cayetano defends Duterte, blames 'fake news' for perception of impunity

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday defended President Rodrigo Duterte before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), saying “fake news and alternative facts” made it appear that the chief executive was “acting with impunity."

Cayetano, chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations, led the 16-member Philippine delegation in Geneva, Switzerland for the UNHRC’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

In his presentation, Cayetano lamented how the foreign media and various human rights groups got the “wrong information” on the administration’s war against illegal drugs.

“If only there was a less political, more unbiased and a fair way of describing what was really happening in the Philippines, we will be having a more constructive discussion rather than groups throwing alternative facts and fake news,” Cayetano, Duterte’s staunch ally and vice-presidential candidate in the 2016 elections, said.

“It’s unfortunate and it’s sad that these fake news, based on alternative facts, was gobbled up by political foes of President Duterte locally, gobbled up by some local media, which created a domino effect in the foreign media,” he added.

He said the tally of killings in the country were “well within the average” during the past six years of the Aquino administration, citing statistics of 11,000 to 14,000 yearly.

Data presented by Cayetano said that as of April 20, deaths resulting from presumed legitimate law enforcement operations were at 2,692, while total homicide cases were 9,342.

“It’s still too much. Any killing is too much,” he said, noting however that “the numbers were presented in a way that basically made it appear that he (Duterte) was acting with impunity.”

The UPR happens every four years, where member countries present their human rights records to the UNHRC. The Philippines last participated in the UPR in 2012.

Cayetano earlier clarified that the period under review covers five years of the Aquino administration and 10 months of the Duterte administration.

Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chairman Chito Gascon earlier questioned the appointment of Cayetano as head of the Philippine delegation, saying the move is “a bit unusual.”

Gascon said this is the first time a member of the legislative branch will head the delegation since members of the executive branch normally represent the country.

"Normally it’s someone from the executive department because the one that is put on the hot seat is the government of the day. Ibig sabihin gobyerno ni President Duterte. Of course under our system, dapat may separation of powers," Gascon said.

The delegation includes representatives from the Presidential Human Rights Committee, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Labor and Employment.

The team also includes representatives from the Presidential Communications Office, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Philippine National Police, Department of Social Welfare and Development, the National Economic Development Authority, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples. —NB, GMA News