The Philippine National Police has invited a New York City-based international group advocating protection against mass atrocities to visit the country and look into the allegations of massive human rights violations in the government’s war against drugs.
Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos, PNP spokesman, said the the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect could come and investigate the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.
“Let them visit or come to the Philippines and see for themselves what the real situation is and not simply rely on reports from biased sources,” said Carlos in a statement.
The GCRP2P had earlier voiced out concerns about extrajudicial killings from the alleged State-sanctioned war on drugs in the country.
As a result, the Philippines was included in its October 20 “Atrocity Alert” with Iraq, Yemen, and the Central African Republic.
Carlos said Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald M. dela Rosa invited them to come and probe the extrajudicial killings.
And if they come, Carlos said they too would ask questions. “We will ask what is the basis for their concern about EJKs arising from State-sanctioned war on drugs in the Philippines,” said Carlos.
Meanwhile, Dela Rosa has advised policemen in Central Min-danao to take extra precautions for their safety following the killing of two cops allegedly in retaliation for the death of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao Mayor Samsudin Utto Dimaukom, and his nine bodyguards in an anti-drugs operation in Cotabato recently.
Dela Rosa also extended the same warning to other policemen in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao amid reports that big drug syndicates have decided to carry out retaliatory attacks.
“I told the regional directors there that because of the death of Mayor Dimaukom, there have been reports that armed group there would retaliate,” said Dela Rosa. (Aaron B. Recuenco)