CHR: Mayors innocent unless proven otherwise

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) yesterday urged President Duterte to respect the constitutional guarantee of presumption of innocence in dealing with the so-called “narco mayors.”

Reacting to Duterte’s threat to kill local chief executives who are involved in the illegal drug trade, CHR chairman Chito Gascon said the state must pursue law enforcement within the bounds of the law.

But a Palace official said that although Duterte might have mentioned a “shoot-to-kill” against erring mayors, this should be considered as just a heart-to-heart talk between the President and the mayors.

“(It’s a) heart-to-heart talk. There was no tit-for-tat… President Digong – he is very straight and very straightforward when it comes to talking with people, especially the officials,” said Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar.

When pressed by the media on the sidelines of arrival honors for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Malacañang, Andanar underscored the need to address the illegal drugs issue as a problem that needs the cooperation of many in government.

“In making the policies of this government, especially in the anti-drug policy, it’s not just the call of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the executive branch. You’d need the entire government which means you include the local government to help you out,” Andanar said.

Gascon said the use of force by the police is only allowed under strict operation guidelines.

“Public officers – the President of the Republic and his subordinates – are expected to be the first to affirm and uphold the constitutional guarantees of presumption of innocence, due processes and the rule of law,” Gascon told The STAR.

“The use of force continuum contained in the police operations procedure guidelines establishes safeguards against indiscriminate and unwarranted discharge of firearms,” the rights chief added.

It was not the first time the President said he would “kill” those involved in illegal drugs.

Palace spokespersons earlier said Duterte was referring to those who would resist arrest and endanger the lives of arresting policemen.

The CHR chief has repeatedly called on the administration to initiate the filing of cases against those involved in illegal drugs, including those in the so-called “narco list” of the President.

A mayor from Pangasinan said he was disappointed after attending the meeting as there was nothing new about Duterte’s message for the mayors – the same message they have repeatedly watched on TV, read in newspapers and heard on radio.

The mayor, who asked not to be named, said they set aside their other commitments because they thought the President had a very urgent message from which their constituents would benefit.

“We’ve known about that since he assumed his post and we have repeatedly heard of them. But we ended up with nothing – only a warning that keeps on reverberating in our ears,” the source said.

At least 1,490 town mayors were invited and divided into two groups for the meeting with the President. Those from the Visayas, Mindanao and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) were among the first group and those from Luzon comprised the second group. 

Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who is pregnant, did not attend the meeting as she was reportedly advised by her attending physicians to refrain from taking flights.

The presidential daughter was supposed to be carrying triplets but lost two of them earlier in the pregnancy. Her delicate condition has limited her movements and made her miss several public engagements.  – With Christina Mendez, Edith Regalado, Eva Visperas