Police not immune from suit, Cayetano tells Pinoys in Switzerland

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. LYN RILLON/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

There is no police immunity in the Philippines, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has assured Filipinos in Geneva, Switzerland.

Cayetano, a staunch ally of the Duterte administration, is in Geneva to lead the Philippine delegation attending the Universal Periodic Review of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

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“Anyone killed by the police is investigated. Although the police operations were presumed legitimate, the presumption is not conclusive,” he said.

“If evidence shows that there is extrajudicial killing (EJK), kakasuhan po ang mga alagad ng batas,” the senator added.

Cayetano pointed out that the Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Services (PNP-IAS) is mandated to conduct motu proprio investigations during incidents a) where a police personnel discharges a firearm; b) where death, serious physical injury or any violation of human rights occurred in the conduct of police operations; c) where evidence was compromised, tampered with obliterated or lost while in the custody of police personnel; d) where a suspect in the custody of the police was seriously injured; and e) where the established rules of engagement have been violated.

To prevent police impunity, he said, the National Police Commission (Napolcom) and the PNP have existing policies and guidelines to discipline their personnel and officials.

Cayetano noted that in the past, drug lords, the corrupt, and criminals acted with impunity.

“They’re not afraid of the law. The police were afraid of catching them dahil sila pa ang makakasuhan. The fiscals were afraid of powerful organizations,” he said.

The Philippine delegation is expected to present the human rights-based development programs of the Philippines and the measures adopted to fulfill its obligations under the 8 international treaties ratified in the past years.

Cayetano said the delegation includes representatives from the Presidential Human Rights Committee, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the National Economic Development Authority (PDEA), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). CBB/rga

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