Culture of impunity still a major problem in PHL — EU report

The European Union (EU) on Monday said the culture of impunity has remained one of the major problems of the Philippine government.

According to a "24 Oras report," the EU's report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World in 2016 released last week pointed out that the Aquino administration did not solve the issues on impunity or committing crime with no threat of punishment.

"Various problems - in particular the culture of impunity and torture - remain, however, and a series of key legislative measures were not passed," the EU said.

The EU also said cases of human rights violations had worsened during the last six months of 2016.

"The second half of the year was marked by a serious deterioration in respect for the right to life, due process and the rule of law," the group said.

"According to reports by specialized non-government organizations, 31 human rights defenders were killed in the Philippines in 2016, one of whom was a beneficiary of the EU-funded project," the EU added.

The group also mentioned that President Rodrigo Duterte supposedly made remarks supporting the killing of human rights defenders.

"Since his election, President Duterte has made statements justifying the killing of ‘corrupt’ journalists and human rights defenders," the EU said.

The EU report added that Duterte's remarks have also encouraged security forces to deal with suspected drug individuals in an "aggressive approach."

"The president’s statements and actions have seemingly encouraged the police to take an aggressive approach in dealing with drug users and pushers, and have – according to human rights advocates – also encouraged vigilante style extrajudicial killings," the EU said.

The campaign against illegal drugs resulted in the death of around 6,000 people in the period from July to mid-December, with one third of the killings occurring during police operations.

It added that more than 40 000 drug suspects have been arrested in the same period.

The EU urged the government "to ensure that the fight against drugs crime is conducted within the law, including the right to due process and safeguarding of the basic human rights of citizens of the Philippines, including the right to life, and that it respects the proportionality principle."

"This naturally includes the rights of human rights defenders. As a State Party to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Philippines is obliged to respect its obligations under international law," the EU said.

Duterte earlier told European diplomats to leave his country within 24 hours, after the Human Rights Watch warned that the Philippines might be at risk of being removed from the United Nations Human Rights Council because of alleged rights violations in the country.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella had clarified Duterte's statements, saying Duterte’s rant stemmed from the remarks of European socialists. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BAP, GMA News