Punish cops for EJKs — group

A HUMAN rights group called on the government on Sunday to hold police and officials accountable for alleged extrajudicial killings (EJK) to encourage more people to come forward and testify against abuses during the past administration’s bloody war on drugs.

“Seeing perpetrators being held to account — investigated and prosecuted at least — would create a safer environment for these victims to speak out,” Carlos H. Conde, a senior researcher at the Asia division of Human Rights Watch, told BusinessWorld via e-mail. “It would be difficult [for victims to testify] if accountability remains practically zero.”

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) had reported 6,229 people killed as a result of the anti-drugs campaign, but human rights groups claim the number is above 20,000.

“Many of them still refuse to talk to rights monitors… for fear of their safety. Plus, the state has failed to help and secure them — why would they endanger themselves?” Mr. Conde said of victims’ next of kin or witnesses.

The state should acknowledge that EJKs occur due to government policies enabling the culture of impunity to prevail, Karapatan Secretary-General Cristina E. Palabay told BusinessWorld in a separate email.

Aside from addressing the culture of impunity, the government should offer independent legal assistance, psychosocial support, and witness protection to EJK victims and their families, said Ms. Palabay. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio