President Rodrigo Duterte (Photo from an RTVM video)
President Rodrigo Duterte is still open to a United Nations (UN) investigation into the human rights situation in the Philippines but Malacañang maintained the police and other state forces would not be allowed to be questioned.
This after Duterte ordered the police and other state forces to ignore UN rapporteurs who will come to the country to look into the killings linked to the administration’s drug war.
READ: Duterte tells police, military not to entertain UN probe
“Ang sabi ko nga po order po yan ng Pangulo let’s leave it. Pero marami namang pong rapporteurs na iba na hindi kinakailangang makapag-ugnayan sa mga [pulis],” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a briefing in Paniqui, Tarlac.
Though the President seemed decided on his order not to allow UN rapporteurs in the Philippines, Roque said Duterte may be open to other UN special rapporteurs but not Agnes Callamard.
“Sabi po ng Presidente huwag makipagtulungan kahit kanino. Pero ang sabi naman niya, ‘yung human rights special rapporteurs [lang], baka naman kung ibang special rapporteur ay pupuwede dahil siningle out naman ni Presidente human rights, di ba po?” he said.
The Palace official reiterated that Callamard, who has infuriated Duterte for criticizing the war on drugs, is not welcome to conduct a probe in the Philippines.
“Talagang hindi po welcome si Agnes Callamard. Humanap na lang siya ng ibang bansang iimbestigahan at hinding-hindi siya maiimbitahang mag-imbestiga sa Pilipinas,” he said.
Roque again slammed Callamard for being biased against Duterte’s drug war.
“Bakit naman natin siya tatanggaping mag-imbestiga rito e meron na siyang conclusion wala pa nga siyang imbestigasyon?” he said.
“Saan ka nakakita ng independent special rapporteur na may conclusion na hindi pa nakakatapak dito sa ating bayan. Kaya hindi po talaga siya welcome. Doon na lang siya sa ibang bansa kung may tatanggap sa kanya,” he added.
The Philippines, he said, needed an honest rapporteur and effective rapporteur to do the investigation.
“Ang kinakailangan natin ay isang tao na may katapatan na kapag sinabi niya na mag-iimbestiga siya, siya ay magiging patas, pakikinggan ang lahat at hindi mag-iimbestiga para suportahan ang conclusion na mayroon na siya,” he said.
Roque said he would give Callamard a failing grade
“E itong si Callamard po kung bibigyan mo siya ng grado kung puwede ba siyang pagkatiwalaan, bagsak, singko ang grade. Hindi po siya pinagkakatiwalaan,” he said.