Believing that the case of 17-year old Kian Loyd Delos Santos was not an isolated one, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), the only mandatory organization of lawyers, on Thursday called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to make public the pre-operation and spot reports of the Operation One Time Big Time” that led to the death of more than 50 suspects including the Caloocan teenager.
“Ninety-one (91) persons, more or less, were reported dead as a result of police operations dubbed as “Operation One Time Big Time” in the National Capital Region and in the provinces of Bulacan and Cavite,” said IBP National President Abdiel Dan Eliijah Fajardo, noting that the deaths took place between August 13 and 20.
The IBP cited in its call Executive Order No. 02 and Article III, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution, which guarantees “the public’s untrammeled right to information.”
Executive Order No. 02 was issued by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016 which provides public access to government information and state policies.
“We are desirous of a favorable response from the Philippine National Police which prides itself to be among the agencies that have enthusiastically taken the cudgels of transparency,” said Fajardo.
“The IBP has released formal requests in this regard, inasmuch as the national organization of lawyers remains committed to the protection of basic rights, because we stand by our moral obligation as advocates of justice, based on our solemn oath,” he added.
The 55,000 strong IBP said that while they support President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs as a “legitimate State undertaking,” labeling it as “war has led to the mistaken collective sense that there must be actual physical casualty in its wake—whether direct or collateral.”