De Guzman, Robredo stress importance of human rights as Abella defends drug war

Presidential candidates Vice President Leni Robredo and labor leader Leody de Guzman on Sunday stressed the importance of human rights, calling for an end to killings and rights abuses related to the administration's war on drugs.

This developed as former Duterte spokesman Ernesto Abella defended the anti-drug campaign, saying he was told first hand how the public felt safe in the first few months into the administration. 

"On war on drugs, human rights should be protected. There should be prevention, treatment. We should revisit our Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs law," Robredo said at the 2nd Comelec Presidential Debate.

"It should be based on best practices. Iyong mga banda na patayan ang hakbang, hindi naresolve yung drug problem. Dapat community rehabilitation, institutional rehabilitation. Iyong pusher ang dapat parusahan," she added.

"We should shift our focus from street level enforcement to supply constriction, kasi sa datos, napakaliit ng supply naku-curtail natin," Robredo said.

PHL a civilized country

De Guzman stressed the need to uphold human rights as the Philippines was a civilized country.

"Inabot na natin ang sibilisadong lipunan, tapos na 'yung barbarismong sitwasyon, dapat nang ipaabot o kilalanin natin 'yung pagbibigay ng mataas na pagkilala sa karapatang pantao," De Guzman said.

"Hindi puwede 'yung ginagawa ng kasalukuyang gobyerno na kill, kill, kill ang kanyang mga patakaran hinggil sa bumabatikos sa kanya. Hindi puwede ang red tagging, hindi puwede ang National Task Force ELCAC, dapat buwagin ang ganyang mga institusyon na nagpapalaganap o nagiging pundasyon sa paglaganap sa paglabag sa karapatang pantao," he added.

De Guzman also said the controversial Anti-Terror Law should be repealed.

Safer Philipines

Abella reiterated his support for the anti-drug campaign.

He defended the war on drugs and mentioned ways how it could be improved.

"Number one, reduce demand,and of course, the other one is to reduce the supply. Tugunan natin ang pangangailangan ng mga out of school youth, bigyan po ng more opportunities for jobs, and businesses yung mga tao na nasa vulnerable areas," Abella said.

"For example, the customs should be made aware of that. Dapat antabayanan ang pagpasok let’s say ng mga droga sa Pilipinas," he added.

Terror law safeguards

As one of the principal authors of the anti-terror measure, Lacson was asked to respond to De Guzman's call for its repeal.

"In relation to human rights 'yung Anti-Terror Law, ito lamang ang batas na napakaraming safeguards at isa sa mga napaka-importanteng safeguard. Kapag nanghuli ang pulis sa violation ng Anti-Terrorism Act, agad-agad, within 24 hours kailangan mag-report sa huwes, at sa Commission on Human Rights at sa [Anti-Terrorism Council]," Lacson said.

"Wala pong ganyang batas, lahat ng batas wala pong ganyang provision, ito lamang po. Pinangalagaan talaga ang karapatang pantao rito. Unpopular pero napakagandanag batas. Number 9 tayo dati sa Global Terrorism Index, ngayon number 16 na," he added. —NB, GMA News