UN's Callamard dismisses Palace claims, insists govt informed of visit

UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions Agnes Callamard dismissed the Malacañang's accusation that she did not inform the government of her visit to the Philippines.

"I reject the statement issued today by the spokesperson’s office of President Rodrigo Duterte stating that the Philippine Government had not been informed in advance of my trip to the country," Callamard said in a statement.

"On 28 April 2017, the Government was officially informed of my forthcoming visit to the country to take part in an academic conference on drug related issues. The Government was also informed that the trip was not an official visit."

Furthermore, the Philippine government, through letters dated April 29 and May 1, acknowledged reception of the letter she sent, informing the government of her visit.

"Exchanges on this matter by phone, mail and email between my mandate and the Permanent Mission of the Philippines continued until 4 May," Callamard added.

Malacañang had said that it was disappointed over Callamard's "unannounced" visit to the Philippines to speak at a policy forum on the illegal-drugs problem.

In a statement, presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that, by not informing the government of her visit, Callamard "sent a clear signal that she is not interested in getting an objective perspective on the issues that are the focus of her responsibility."

Official visit

Callamard, in her statement, reiterated that she was in the Philippines "to participate in an academic conference on drug-related issues."

"My current stay in Philippines is not an official visit, so I will not be assessing the situation in the country, and there will be no report presented to the Human Rights Council," she pointed out, noting that it was "normal routine" for special rapporteurs to attend conferences and visit countries.

Nevertheless, Callamard hoped that an official visit could be arranged in the future. "I look forward to a positive engagement with the Government of the Philippines on issues of interest to my mandate. I remain deeply committed to undertake an official visit to the country," she said.

Callamard is in the Philippines for an "academic visit" upon the invitation by the Free Legal Assistance Group's (FLAG) "Anti-Death Penalty Task Force" for a two-day policy forum on the anti-illegal drugs campaign of the Duterte administration.

She said that she would be in the country until Monday, May 8.

The policy forum was organized in collaboration with the University of the Philippines-Diliman Office of the Chancellor and the College of Law's Institute of Human Rights. The two-day forum is held at GT-Toyota Asian Center Auditorium in Diliman, Quezon City. — Anna Felicia Bajo/DVM, GMA News