‘Gov’t response to Amnesty Int’l report appalling’

Senator Rissa Hotiveros.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Saturday expressed dismay over how President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration responded to Amnesty International’s (AI) report on extrajudicial killings in the country.

“From the House Speaker’s ‘it’s none of their business’ remark to the Justice Secretary’s ‘criminals are not humans’ statement, to the President’s usual profanity-laced attacks, the government’s lack of commitment to address the country’s human rights issues is appalling and unconscionable,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

The Senator said that AI’s findings are “a very serious matter,” and it deserves “the government and the country’s utmost serious attention.”

READ: Aguirre says criminals not human, disputes Amnesty International report

Last February 1, AI has accused the Philippine National Police (PNP) of paying officers and assassins to kill alleged drug offenders, plant evidence and even set up a racket with funeral homes in what it called an “informal economy of death” under Duterte’s war on drugs.

READ: PNP paid killers P5,000 per drug user

Hontiveros joined Senators Leila de Lima and Ralph Recto to support Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s resolution calling for a Senate inquiry on the AI report, saying that the watchdog will not risk its track record by making baseless accusations.

READ: Recto, De Lima favor Senate probe on AI report

“Any Senate or government-led inquiry that will sincerely help the people in their search for the truth and in crafting better policies to safeguard human rights is welcome,” she said. IDL