CHR wants ‘nanlaban’ cases placed under ‘court scrutiny’

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MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has urged the government to put the large number of alleged “nanlaban” (suspects who allegedly fought back to authorities resulting in their demise) cases under “court scrutiny.”

This as the CHR welcomed on Saturday a court ruling that recommended the filing of charges against policemen involved in the “extralegal killing” of a drug suspect.

CHR Spokeperson Atty. Jacqueline de Guia, in a statement, noted that the Court of Appeals (CA) ruled that drug suspect Joselito Gonzales “was a victim of extralegal killing” during a drug buy-bust operation in Antipolo in 2016.

The appellate court also recommended the filing of criminal, administrative, and civil cases against the police officers involved.

The CHR cited that the CA was not convinced that the drug suspect fired back, based on the testimony of the authorities and as supported by the reports from the Scene of the Crime Operatives as well as the Rizal Provincial Crime Laboratory Office IV-A.

“The CA decision also notes that the police breached police operation procedures cited in the PNP (Philippine National Police) Criminal Investigation Manual before, during, and after drug buy-bust operations,” the CHR noted.

With this, the CHR has urged the government to “place the multitudes of alleged ‘nanlaban’ cases” under the “same court scrutiny” in order to “allow truth to prosper and justice be rightfully served.”

The CHR described the “nanlaban” cases as those which involves “suspects who supposedly fought back during police operations.”

“The recent CA decision does not only demonstrate the rule of law, but also reminds police officials of their equal accountability in the actions of their officers on the ground, especially in the face of human rights violations,” De Guia said. /jpv