“How are we to make the
police accountable for their crimes against the Filipino people if the
President himself has seemingly made impunity a State policy? The President
shrugs off the death of poor Filipinos in his drug war while at the same time,
celebrates these violations and their violators. Military and police generals
known for rights abuses are still being promoted,” Karapatan secretary general
Cristina Palabay said on recent pronouncements by the President to grant pardon
for cops convicted in the course of the drug war and the promotion, and
assignment of Police Senior Supt. Alexander Tagum as acting Davao police
director.
“How are we to make the
police accountable for their crimes against the Filipino people if the
President himself has seemingly made impunity a State policy? The President
shrugs off the death of poor Filipinos in his drug war while at the same time,
celebrates these violations and their violators. Military and police generals
known for rights abuses are still being promoted,” Karapatan secretary general
Cristina Palabay said on recent pronouncements by the President to grant pardon
for cops convicted in the course of the drug war and the promotion, and
assignment of Police Senior Supt. Alexander Tagum as acting Davao police
director.
Last March 31, 2017,
President Duterte, in a speech delivered in Malacanang, assured the police that
they would be pardoned should they be convicted for their involvement in the
drug war. He then vowed to pardon the policemen charged with the murder of
Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. after he was shot inside his jail on
November 5, 2016. The president also added that they would be reinstated and
promoted to a higher rank.
Also on April 3, the
Philippine National Police Senior Officers Placement and Promotion Board
announced the assignment of Tagum, who is currently facing administrative and
criminal charges for the murder, illegal arrest and detention, and violent
dispersal of farmers in Kidapawan, North Cotabato last year.
“Rights abuses are set to
intensify, as President Duterte guarantees the protection of violators. As with
previous regimes, police officers get promotions and accolades, instead of
prosecution and jail time. The PNP, which is among the top corrupt agencies in
the country, do not deserve any such favor. They should be held accountable for
their crimes. We remind the President that his constituents are not the police,
but the Filipino people who are victimized every day by State repression,”
Palabay said.
Karapatan stated that “such statements
become more unacceptable in the context of the continuing incarceration of political
prisoners who continue to suffer injustice inside jails. Of the 402 political
prisoners now, 71 are wrongly convicted. Why is release through pardon for political
prisoners, victims of trumped-up charges, being prolonged, while policemen and
State security forces who perpetrate rights abuses are guaranteed their freedom
in the face of conviction?”
The release of political
prisoners is among the agenda in the past and current peace talks between the
Government of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the
Philippines (NDFP). However, in the list forwarded by Karapatan to the GRP
bearing the names of political prisoners to be released, including those for
humanitarian considerations, none have followed through.
“Peace saboteurs from the
Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense are
seeing to it that they play their roles well in blocking the release of all
political prisoners,” said Palabay.
“We again strongly call on
the current administration to stop State policies that target the poor, as well
as to prosecute and punish State security forces for their abuses. The least we
need are cops who believe that they are immune to punishment. The thousands of
poor Filipinos who are casualties of the drug war are not trophies to be proud
of, Mr. President. Rather, they are victims whose families are seeking
justice,” concluded Palabay.