Palace: Karapatan report on killings to UN ‘questionable’

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella —MALACAÑANG PHOTO

Malacañang has questioned the move of human rights group Karapatan after it reported to the United Nations (UN) the alleged political killings under the Duterte administration.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said it was “not the policy of the Duterte administration” to violate human rights.

“To attribute the killings to government is a serious allegation, contrary to President Duterte’s stand that ‘our principled position (is) that disputes should be settled in a peaceful manner,’” Abella said in a statement on Wednesday.

Karapatan said it submitted on Tuesday to the office of UN special rapporteur Agnes Callamard the case files of 47 victims of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines under the Duterte government’s anti-insurgency campaign.

READ: Karapatan submits records of killings under Duterte to UN
The human rights watchdog said that victims of the alleged extrajudicial killings carried out by state forces were peasants, indigenous peoples, Moro, workers, women, and youth.

Abella questioned the move of Karapatan to file a report before the UN.

“We therefore find Karapatan’s move rather questionable, considering that our own justice system and domestic institutions are more than adequate to judge the matter,” he said.

Though some groups may not want peace, the Palace official said the government has entered into peace talks with the communist rebels.

“Despite the initial setbacks, the GPH and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines continue to pursue peace and seek solutions to the root problems of the age-old armed conflict,” he said.

“Though interested elements from various groups may not want the peace negotiations to succeed, the Duterte administration is singular in achieving the goal of peace that will ultimately serve the entire Filipino nation,” he added.

While Duterte is open to any investigation, Abella said that they should follow his conditions.

“The Philippines is a sovereign and democratic state. President Duterte has been open to any investigation but he has also set conditions for any international body to come in and interfere with its domestic affairs,” he said. JE/rga