President Rodrigo Duterte told world leaders at the United Nations that he ordered a review of his war on drugs and vowed he would hold accountable anti-drug operatives who act outside the bounds of the law.
“I have instructed the Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police to review the conduct of our campaign against illegal drugs. Those found to have acted beyond bounds during operations shall be made accountable before our laws,” Duterte said during the UN General Assembly’s 76th session.
Duterte issued the statement under the shadow of a looming investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of human rights abuses in his government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
The President assured the assembly of his government’s resolve to protect the Filipino people from the dangers of illegal drugs within the bounds of the law.
Duterte said there was already an ongoing review of the drug war, led by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who spoke of it during the UN Human Rights Council in June 2020.
“The Filipino people want to live in peace and security in their homes and communities, free from harm and danger from the lawless. But achieving this goal has not been without challenges. I say this in no uncertain terms: The law applies to all,” the President said.
“We have recently finalized with the United Nations our Joint Program on Human Rights. This is a model for constructive engagement between a sovereign Member State and the United Nations,” he said.
“Meaningful change, to be enduring, must come from within. The imposition of one’s will over another – no matter how noble the intent – has never worked in the past. And it never will in the future,” he added.
Duterte also said the Philippines and the UN’s recent signing of a three-year joint program on human rights is a “model for constructive engagement” between the two parties.
Under the program, the Philippines and the UN will engage in capacity-building and technical cooperation for the promotion and protection of human rights.
Guevarra on Wednesday said he would discuss the government’s anti-drug campaign with PNP chief Gen. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar.
“We’ll sit down with the PNP chief in the next few days to discuss our report as well as the President’s directive given at the UN General Assembly. We just want to do things the proper way,” Guevarra said.
“His (President Duterte)’s instruction to the DOJ and the PNP to review the conduct of the campaign against illegal drugs, together with the succeeding statement that those found to have acted beyond bounds during operations shall be made accountable before our laws, is a clear directive to pursue with greater vigor the ongoing review of drug death cases and to commence legal actions if found warranted,” Guevarra said.
Last month, the DOJ said it has completed its report on the initial 52 cases of law enforcement officers implicated in charges arising from alleged lapses during illegal drug operations.
Guevarra said as of June, 81 criminal cases involving government anti-drug operatives are either pending in courts or undergoing preliminary investigation before the DOJ.
The PNP and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency have turned over to the DOJ the case folders of about 200 anti-illegal drug operations.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said since 2017, a total of 17,142 rogue cops have been subjected to disciplinary actions and sanctions, 906 police officers who were dismissed from the service.
Guevarra said the President’s speech before the United Nations General Assembly has reinforced his commitment to make accountable those who committed extrajudicial killings under the cover of the government’s anti-drug campaign.
He promised to release to the public the findings of the drug war review panel. “We’ll inform all of you. We just want to do things the proper way.”
Senator Risa Hontiveras said it is time for the President and his co-accused to face the upcoming ICC investigation into alleged crimes against humanity.
If they are not guilty of these serious crimes, they should not be afraid to be investigated, she said.
She accused the Palace of delaying the proceedings.
The Palace has asserted several times that President Duterte would not participate in the ICC probe.
The 76-year-old Duterte has scorned the ICC’s prosecution team from the time it first began considering a possible investigation.
The ICC Prosecutor’s investigation will cover killings under the drug war since Duterte assumed office in July 2016 until the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute on March 16, 2019.
It would also look into the killings in Davao City from Nov. 1, 2011 to June 30, 2016, when Duterte served as mayor and vice mayor.