DOJ to take lead in probe into media killings

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Friday government prosecutors will be taking the lead in investigating the killings of mediamen.

De Lima, in an interview, said special investigation teams from the National Prosecution Service will take over the investigations conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police in accordance with an order she issued regarding extrajudicial killings.

“Our existing protocol is that either or both NBI and PNP would initially investigate those killings to determine whether they qualify as EJKs (extrajudicial killings). As you know, there are many elements of EJK most [important of which is that it] is work-related, you know, [that the victim] was targeted because of his work as a journalist,” De Lima told reporters.

“But of course it doesn’t mean that if it turns out that it’s not work-related, it doesn’t mean that it won’t be investigated anymore. It will still be investigated because that is still murder or homicide,” she added.

Department Order No. 726, issued by De Lima last September, said that upon confirmation that an extrajudicial killing was work-related, the special investigation teams will take over the investigation. The NBI and PNP investigators will still be represented in the teams, which will be headed by DOJ prosecutors.

The teams’ efforts are intended to secure a successful prosecution by another body known as Special Oversight Teams, composed of seasoned prosecutors and investigators from the PNP and NBI, which is mandated to provide guidance to the investigators and prosecutors.

“We want our efforts more focused because it it’s an EJK, it has a greater impact and repercussions, and then there’s relative difficulty in investigating EJK especially if the alleged perpetrators or suspects are state security forces or agents,” De Lima said.

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