PNP top violator of human rights in RP--CHR chief
By Alcuin Papa
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 15:37:00 07/14/2008
Filed Under: Crime, Law & Justice
MANILA, Philippines-- Commission on Human Rights (CHR) head Leila de Lima chided the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday for still being the number one human rights violator in the country.
In a speech during Monday's flag-raising ceremonies at police national headquarters in Camp Crame, De Lima enumerated the various cases of human rights violations allegedly committed by police such as the Kuratong Baleleng rubout case, the Ortigas rubout of alleged car thieves and the alleged rubout of suspects in the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. robbery in Cabuyao, Laguna.
De Lima also criticized police for making media presentations of suspects who are usually wearing orange t-shirts with the word "detainee" printed on them, even if the suspects should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
De Lima also warned the police the CHR would continue investigating cases of human rights violations and would file the appropriate cases against police officers involved.
"They (PNP) are still leading (the list of human rights violators)," De Lima told reporters after her speech.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, Director Geary Barias told reporters that De Lima's assessment of the PNP "is to be expected."
"When you implement the law, there will be those who are hurt when they are at the receiving end when you impose the law," Barias said.
He said that when complaints were filed against policemen, these were immediately counted as human rights cases. "But these are not outright human rights violations. They are meant to harass our law enforcers," Barias said in defense of the PNP.
Barias said they have been implementing moves to integrate human rights in the training of police recruits. "We have a series of seminars as part of the recruitment where we pound this into the recruits."
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