CHR: Antidrug tarp violates rights

THIS SIGNBOARD, featuring photographs of detained suspected drug pushers and users, at the plaza of San Jose town in Antique province has since been covered after the Commission on Human Rights said this violated the rights of the suspects. ALBERT MAMORA/CONTRIBUTOR

ILOILO CITY—A tarpaulin featuring the images of detained suspected drug pushers and displayed at the town center of San Jose in Antique province violates the rights of people whose photographs appeared there, an official of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said.

Lawyer David Bermudo, CHR Western Visayas regional director, said displaying photographs of suspected pushers is like parading suspects before the media.

“The suspects have not been convicted and we violate their rights by doing this,” he told the Inquirer.

The tarpaulin was mounted on a signboard and put up last month by the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and the Antique police at the public plaza of San Jose, the provincial capital.

Located a few meters from the provincial capitol, the signboard features enlarged photographs and names of nine detained suspects. On top of the photographs is written: “Babala sa mga drug pusher/user sa Antique” and” Anti-Illegal Drugs Accomplishments.”

Bermudo said the right of anyone to be presumed innocent should be observed and respected, even those who have been arrested.

He said what is acceptable is the display or posting of photographs of suspects facing arrest or those being sought by law enforcers.

“Many people do not realize that the display of these kinds of photographs or signs is a violation of a person’s rights,” Bermudo said.

But Senior Supt. Louis Garong, Antique police director, said the tarpaulin had already been “covered” by another signboard announcing the programs of the Department of Health.

“The signboards are regularly replaced by the provincial government,” Garong told the Inquirer.

He said it was the PPOC which decided to display the photographs that were part of the accomplishment report of the Antique police.

He said it was up to the provincial government to remove the tarpaulin.

Garong, however, chided the CHR for supposedly only looking at the rights of suspected pushers.

“Why don’t they investigate and look into the victims of drug pushers and users?” he said.