Robredo: SC order to release drug war docs a giant step towards serving justice

Vice President Leni Robredo welcomed the Supreme Court decision ordering Solicitor General Jose Calida to release documents involving the police’s anti-drug operations, saying it is the first big step in serving justice to victims of drug war killings.

“Nagpapasalamat tayo na kahit papaano, mayroon nang order na gawing publiko iyong records. Kasi iyong katarungan naman, matatanggap lang iyon ng mga naging biktima, ng mga pamilya ng naging biktima, kapag alam iyong datos. Hanggang hindi alam iyong datos, paano natin hahabulin iyong mga nagkasala?” Robredo, a lawyer, said in an interview after her meeting with multi-sectoral representatives in Quezon on Wednesday.

The SC made the decision in connection with the petition filed by the victims of the drug war represented by the Free Legal Assistance Group in October 2017 questioning the legality of the Duterte administration’s drug war.

FLAG had said that Command Memorandum Circular (CMC) No. 16 – 2016 issued by then Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa authorizes the police to kill suspected drug pushers since the CMC states that the purpose of the drug war is to neutralize the drug suspects.

Robredo lamented that prior to the SC’s decision favoring the release of drug war police operations, her officer repeatedly asked for those documents from the police and the Department of Interior and Local Government which has jurisdiction over the police, but to no avail.

“This [SC decision] is a giant and important first step. Sana tuloy-tuloy na iyong quest para bigyan sila [na mga biktima] ng katarungan,” Robredo said.

Based on police records, at least 5,000 drug suspects have been killed in legitimate police operations since July 2016.

Local and international human rights organizations, however, dispute this and claim that the drug war has killed at least 20,000 suspects without facing charges or trial.

“Matagal ng pinag-aawayan ilan ba talaga iyong namatay sa ngalan ng drug war. Kailangan iyong pamahalaan, maging transparent,” Robredo added. —LDF, GMA News