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House drug war probe highlights PNP inaction faced by EJK victims
By Nidz Godino
“Wala kaming nakuhang kahit anong info…they never showed us evidence…possible din na isa sa mga evidence noon makakapaglink talaga na police ang gumawa… pero hindi sila nakipagcooperate sa amin,” victim Ephraim Escudero’s sister Sheerah Escudero said House of Representatives began its first hearing into extra-judicial killings resulted from Duterte administration’s drug war, allowing select relatives of victims and human rights lawyers to testify for first time in lower chamber about scale of government inaction during former president’s brutal six-year campaign against illegal drugs.
Victims’ families told House lawmakers that for years, they have borne brunt of authorities’ inaction and apparent reluctance to fully cooperate in their quest for justice, pushing them to bring their case to International Criminal Court (ICC), also known as court of last resort.
Sheerah Escudero, whose brother, Ephraim, was found dead in Pampanga with his head wrapped in tape in 2017, recalled approaching police officers who refused to provide them with information or evidence about Ephraim’s demise.
Llore Pasco, mother of two drug war victims and volunteer for human rights group Rise Up for Life and for Rights, also recounted difficulties she faced in trying to retrieve her sons’ bodies with little cooperation from authorities.
“Pinagpasa-pasahan kami bago ko nakita ang labi ng aking mga anak… noong nagdown kami ng P50,000, halos nabubulok na ang katawan ng aking mga anak dahil sa di maayos na pagkakalagay ng formaline sa kanilang mga katawan,” Pasco said.
Lawyer Neri Colmenares, co-counsel of families of extra-judicial killings victims in ICC case, said among evidence they will present if ICC goes to trial is pattern of evidence that indicate killings were state-sponsored.
Colmenares said not only public villification of victims, but killings were also “so brazen that they took place in public, as if perpetrators were not afraid of being caught or accosted by authorities.”
Bayan Muna chairman also pointed out government’s apparent lack of interest to seriously investigate drug war killings, citing data that shows only 52 out of over 6,000 killings admitted by police have been so far investigated.
Citing rule in Philippine National Police’s manual, Colmenares pointed out that if someone dies in the course of police operation, there should always be an inquest or investigation.
This is regardless if suspect had fought back, Colmenares said, citing notorious “nanlaban” argument wielded by cops during violent anti-illegal drug operations.
Among several recommendations to more effectively investigate drug war-related deaths, Commission on Human Rights Chairman Richard Palpal-latoc said committee should consider enacting law that will require mandatory autopsies to be conducted.
Lawyer Kristina Conti, another co-counsel for drug war victims, supported this suggestion, saying that these should also be conducted by independent expert.
“We are talking about killings committed by police themselves… in some cases, very same policemen will be investigating same crimes…terrifying to victims to see perpetrators as investigators,” Conti added.
Palpal-latoc added PNP has often refused to provide rights body with official documents related to its drug war probe, which CHR chair said was part of their mandate to conduct investigations.
CHR chair said PNP officers invoke data privacy law.
While Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. (Manila, 6th District), chair of House human rights panel, made sure to clarify committee will not “in any way” work with ICC, both Pasco and Escudero appealed to government to work with international tribunal, they both said gave them their best hope for fair trial.
“I’ve been going to places in search of justice and hope for Ephraim’s two little boys… been almost seven years now and there is still no justice…kanino pa kami lalapit? ” Escudero said, adding that this was why her family had hopes when ICC announced its drug war probe in 2018.
“Ang hirap mag-imbestiga sa Pilipinas lalo na kung may agam-agam o paniniwalang pulis din ang may gawa,” she added.
Escudero asked Congress and the president to work with ICC, saying that their clamor is for “investigations and trials that are fair, thorough and comprehensive.”
“We want truth and accountability…please help our family heal,” Escudero added.
Rep. Dan Fernandez, chair of House public order and safety committee, asked Pasco if she no longer had any trust in justice system
“Nawalan na kami ng tiwala…seven years na mula noong namatay mga anak ko… hanggang ngayon wala pa kaming hustisyang nakamit…kailan kami kakamit ng hustisya…kaya kami dumulog sa inyong committee para tulungan kami na ipursue ang case na finile namin sa ICC kasama ng lahat ng biktimang tinanggalan ng karapatang pantao,” Pasco said.
Escudero said that just months before Pasco’s brother was killed allegedly during police’s anti-illegal drugs operations, she wrote for her school paper about the case of 17-year-old Kian de los Santos, another drug war victim, whose death was caught on CCTV.
“I was aspiring journalist writing about social issues, then month after we were also in newspaper, similar to what happened to Kian.”
ISKUP! 