Cayetano invites UN rights council to visit PHL amid Duterte’s drug war

The Philippine government panel on Monday called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to visit the country and see for itself the Duterte administration's war on drugs and the thousands of extrajudicial killings allegedly committed in its wake.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said there was no "sudden wave" of state-sponsored extrajudicial killings in the Philippines as he asked the UNHRC to visit the Philippines to check on the situation.

"We are asking you, through the mechanisms of this Honorable Council, to interview our people, to go to our communities, to visit the Philippines to see for yourself the truth, real numbers, which ones are real news, which ones are fake news," Cayetano said in Geneva.

Cayetano on Monday faced the universal periodic review of the UN council to defend the country's rights record which has been marred by reports of unexplained killings of the Duterte administration's war on illegal drugs.

In his opening speech, Cayetano underscored the need to make the Philippines, especially the younger generation, safe from the drug scourge.

"Security and human rights are not incompatible. In fact, without human security, humans are vulnerable to all kinds of  abuses. Human rights is not only about making people feel safe, but is actually about making people safe," he said.

The senator said illegal drugs "can easily destroy a whole generation," citing government data stating that around 31 percent, or 32.7 million Filipinos, are aged 14 and below.

"Our young people are the most vulnerable to temptation and evils of prohibited drugs. Unless we recognize the relationship of illegal drugs, especially crystal meth or methamphetamine hydrochloride, to violent crimes and poverty, we will not understand the Philippine situation," Cayetano said.

"Do you blame our parents, do you blame the State in taking care of our young people because they are the most vulnerable to the temptations and evils of prohibited drugs? Unless we recognize the relationship of illegal drugs especially crystal meth to violent crimes and poverty we will not understand the Philippine situation," he said.

Cayetano, a Duterte ally, explained that the campaign against illegal drugs is pursued to "preserve the lives of the Filipino people and prevent the country from turning into a narco-state."

"At all times, the Duterte administration seeks to uphold the rule of law. In fact, President Duterte has a policy of zero tolerance for abuse by law enforcers," he said.

He added the Philippine government adopts a "holistic and balanced approach" to address the problems on criminality and illegal drugs.

Cayetano said that the Philippine government also encourages private sector participation to "ensure a more effective and sustainable rehabilitation and reintegration programs for the surrendering drug users."

Cayetano is in Geneva to head the 16-man Philippine delegation for UNHRC's Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

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

The period under review was for the last four years of the administration of then-President Benigno Aquino III and the first few months of the Duterte government.

Duterte has bristled at criticism of his anti-crime policy in which thousands have been killed since he took power on June 30 last year.

He made several outbursts against the United States, the United Nations, the European Union, human rights groups and other international institutions, and has said he will pursue deeper ties with countries such as Russia and China. —NB/BM, GMA News