Malacañang on Saturday assured the public that the government does not condone extrajudicial killings as the world celebrates International Human Rights Day.
“We do not condone human rights violations and we are against any extrajudicial killings,” Communications Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag said in an interview over state-run dzRB radio.
The Duterte administration has earned international condemnation on the spate of killings in the country amid his brutal crackdown on illegal drugs and criminality.
Asked to comment on criticisms that the government was doing little effort to address extrajudicial killings in the country, Banaag said the Philippine National Police (PNP) would best address the issue.
“Mas maganda siguro na ang PNP ang mag comment on that kasi sila ang gagawa ng investigation. (It would be better if the PNP was the agency to comment on that since it is the PNP that conducts investigation.)Of course, the President would like that. Anything, anything for that matter. Anything that is related to any crimes committed, ‘yung mga nangyayaring mga krimen sa loob ng ating bansa eh maimbestigahan ng PNP (the crimes happening in the country are to be investigated by the PNP),” she said.
READ: CHR to Duterte: You need human rights allies in war on drugs
In his previous speeches, President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly said that alleged extrajudicial killings were not state-sanctioned as he vowed that there would be no let-up in his war against drugs.
READ: 11 senators sign report belying existence of state killings, DDS
Malacañang has invited United Nations rapporteur Agnes Callamard to investigate the drug killings in the Philippines.
Nationwide protests were held Saturday to urge President Rodrigo Duterte to address “urgent human rights issues.”