202 drug-related killings probed in C. Luzon since 2016, says CHR

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—A total of 202 cases of drug-related extrajudicial killings (EJKs) have been investigated by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Central Luzon from May 2016 to December last year, but only some cases have been prepared for filing in court, an official said on Thursday.

While all these cases have been docketed (assigned with corresponding reference numbers), filing them in court has taken time while the CHR awaits the decision of relatives if they wish to proceed, said lawyer Jasmin Regino, CHR regional director. These cases involved the deaths of 254 people.

Rights violation

“Without the cooperation of families, we cannot proceed. Most of them are afraid. Despite their noncooperation, we have proceeded with the investigation and made a ruling that there was human rights violation,” Regino said.

Malacañang and the Philippine National Police said President Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs was not responsible for any EJK cases.

The 254 victims died in 141 police operations and in 61 incidents of vigilante killings, a CHR report showed.

Faces in numbers

The agency investigated the deaths at the request of families and friends of the victims and by community leaders or by following reports from the media. It initiated the investigation of 10 cases without any formal requests.

“Despite the challenges that we face, we continue to document all these human rights violations. We put faces in the numbers and consequently to make all perpetrators accountable,” Regino said.

At least 350 drug suspects died in police operations in Central Luzon provinces, according to police reports. The regional police reported investigating 30 cases involving drug suspects killed by unknown assailants.

Since 2016, the police reported conducting 8,623 operations and arresting 16,254 users and pushers. —TONETTE OREJAS