Int’l human rights group brands removal of De Lima as ‘blatant, craven move’

The international human rights group that called for a probe on President Rodrigo Duterte has branded as a "blatant, craven move" the removal of Sen. Leila de Lima as head of the Senate panel investigating extrajudicial killings.

In a statement, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the removal of De Lima as chairperson of the Senate committee on justice and human rights was "a blatant and craven move to derail accountability for the appalling death toll from Duterte's abusive war on drugs."

Phelim Kine, HRW deputy Asia director, alleged that "The Senate is showing  greater interest in covering up  allegations of  state-sanctioned murder than in exposing them." 

"De Lima's inquiry faced relentless harassment, intimidation and threats from Duterte, a measure of his fear of accountability for the killing spree on Philippine city streets that has killed more than 3,000 Filipinos since he took office on June 30," Kine added.

On Monday night, Sen. Manny Pacquiao, an ally of Duterte, moved to declare the justice panel vacant days after Edgar Matobato, a man who claimed to be a member of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), spoke of alleged killings supposedly ordered by Duterte.

"Gusto po natin na ang committee ay para sa taong bayan, hindi lang pangsarili," Pacquiao said in a television interview. 

Sen. Richard Gordon has taken over the post of De Lima, whom Duterte earlier tagged as the highest government official involved in the illegal drug trade in the country.

Kine said, "De Lima's removal seems intended to cancel the Senate inquiry she initiated into those killings and removes the sole significant official effort to bringing them to  an end." 

Kine added that De Lima's removal casts serious doubts on "the Duterte administration’s willingness to respect the basic human rights of Filipinos under the constitution and international human rights law."

"Senators opposed to the  Duterte government's trampling on those rights should urgently seek Senator de Lima's immediate reinstatement," Kine said.

Shortly after her ouster as committee chairperson, De Lima said Duterte was behind the incident.  "Wala po akong duda na may kinalaman diyan ang ating Pangulo.  Imposible po [na] walang kinalaman ang ating Pangulo," she said in an interview on 24 Oras.

But in a chance interview in Davao City, Duterte denied De Lima's claim. "I do not intervene, dwell into matters not within my [purview], not part of my territory. I don’t care how many hearings are there… Basta ako nakatutok ako sa aking trabaho.” 

On Tuesday, several senators also said Duterte had no hand in De Lima's ouster.

Call for UN probe

Last week, the HRW called for a United Nations probe on Duterte, a day Matobato testified before the Senate and claimed that Duterte and his son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, were behind over 1,000 killings in the city.

HRW, a group that monitors human rights conditions in 80 countries, said the "detailed testimony" and serious allegations of Matobato warrants an independent investigation.

Vice Mayor Paolo has since denied Matobato's claims, saying the allegations against him were mere hearsay.  Through the Chief Information Officer of Davao City, the vice mayor said, "What [Senator Leila] de Lima and this certain Matobato say in public are bare allegations in the absence of proof. They are mere hearsay.  I will not dignify with an answer the accusations of a madman." 

On the other hand, Communications Sec. Martin Andanar said President Duterte is not capable of the accusations against him by Matobato. — RSJ, GMA News