De Lima reminds Isko of rights violations in presenting crime suspects in public

Sen. Leila de Lima. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Opposition Senator Leila de Lima on Thursday reminded Manila Mayor Isko Moreno of the human rights violations in presenting suspected criminals in public.

De Lima issued the reminder after Moreno presented to the media some 35 drug suspects caught in different drug operations.

She noted that such practice is a violation of the suspected criminals’ constitutional right to presumption of innocence as they are subjected to unwanted publicity.

“Kahanga-hanga ang ginagawang mga hakbang ni Mayor Isko sa paglinis ng Maynila, kasama na ang pagsugpo ng kriminalidad. Pinapaalala lang natin sa kanya na ang pagparada ng suspect ay labag sa batas sa karapatang pantao,” De Lima, a human-rights advocate and former Justice secretary, said in a statement.

“Nakita po natin ang pagsisikap ni Mayor Isko na patalikurin ang mga nasabing suspek at maitago ang kanilang mukha. Gayumpaman, naiharap pa rin sila sa mga kawani ng media at mga taong naroon,” she added.

De Lima said she would file a bill that would give the injunction against public presentation of suspects “more teeth.”

“To give this injunction against public presentation of suspects more teeth and the character of mandatoriness, I’ll be filing a bill soon explicitly proscribing such practice,” she said.

Moreno, however,  justified his action, maintaining that a memorandum circular of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 2008, which stopped the practice of public presentation of suspects, are for PNP personnel only.

Manila City Legal Office Chief Emeterio Moreno defended the Manila mayor’s action, citing the PNP Reorganization Act of 1998 and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Reorganization Act of 1990 where the mayors have “operational supervision and control” of PNP units in their areas. /jpv