Iceland urges United Nations probe on Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Iceland has called on the United Nations to investigate alleged widespread human rights violations in the Philippines spawned by the Duterte administration’s vicious campaign against illegal drugs.

In remarks at the High-Level Segment of the 37th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva last Tuesday, Iceland Foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson said his country takes pride in leading 40 nations in calling out the Philippines over alleged human rights violations committed in the conduct of its war on drugs.

Thordarson also urged the Philippines to allow UN Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard to visit without any precondition or limitation so she could conduct an objective assessment of the human rights situation in the country.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said he conveyed his serious disappointment to Thordarson on the sidelines of the event, and warned the 47-member body against efforts to politicize and even “weaponize” human rights.

He is confident Thordarson would change his views if he gets to visit the country.

“After explaining why the Philippines has to undertake the campaign against illegal drugs, I told foreign minister Thordarson not to take my word for it and that it would be best if he could come and visit so he could see the situation for himself,” Cayetano said.

Citing the strong bilateral ties between Manila and Reykjavik, Cayetano said he told the minister that the Philippines would have appreciated it had Iceland first reached out to hear its side before arriving at such a conclusion.

“I am sure your society also has its own challenges but if our situation were reversed, you would feel the same way we feel right now,” Cayetano said as he shared with his Icelandic counterpart how the Philippine government’s campaign against illegal drugs has been politicized by critics of President Duterte.

Cayetano said Manila actually shares Iceland’s recommendations for the conduct of an independent and impartial assessment of the human rights situation in the Philippines.

He said the Philippine position is actually not new as he had personally conveyed Manila’s willingness to cooperate with the UN during his meeting with Secretary General Antonio Gutteres in New York in September.

Cayetano, however, made it clear that despite this openness to receive independent experts, Manila would still not be able to accept Callamard because of her biased and antagonistic stance towards the Philippine government.

Ambassador Evan Garcia, Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, reiterated Manila’s policy.

“The basic stance of the Philippines is that while its human rights policies and practices are an open record, the country would not accept biased and politically motivated accusations,” Garcia said.

 “Secretary Cayetano’s demeanor during the bilateral meeting with Iceland clearly demonstrates the positive attitude of the Philippines towards meaningful and mutually beneficial engagement on the human rights situation in the Philippines,” Garcia added.

Meanwhile, human rights group Karapatan yesterday submitted letters of complaints to four UN independent experts regarding persistent and repeated threats and vilification that President Duterte reportedly hurled against the group.

Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay said Duterte incited military and police forces to escalate the suppression and repression of the group and other progressive organizations in the country.

The letters were sent to UN Special Rapporteur (SR) on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders Michel Forst, UN SR on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association Annalisa Ciampi, UN SR on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression David Kaye, and UN SR on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Agnes Callamard.

“Dutere has alleged six times in his speeches and press conferences that Karapatan is a ‘legal front’ of the Communist Party of the Philippines, further making our human rights workers on the ground targets of state forces and considered fair game to any and all forms of state-sponsored attacks,” Palabay said.

“In fact, many of (them) have already been the subject of harassment and intimidation efforts, and even extrajudicial killings by state forces. Such allegations are a violation of our freedom of association and expression, and poses a real danger to many human-rights defenders on the ground,” she said.

She also claimed that, “the singling out” Callamard is “indicative of the Duterte regime’s apprehension and anxiety in being investigated for human-rights violations in line with the government’s war on drugs campaign. Indeed, when the guilty is put on the defensive, they resort to ad hominem tirades and outright bullying.”

“We are being targeted for speaking out against the Duterte regime. We will continue to exhaust all mechanism for redress and protection, and exact accountability from the Duterte regime and its state forces,” she pointed out.

“This government is blurring the line between combatants and non-combatants, ensuring that all genuine opposition are unjustly penalized for exercising their rights to assembly, protest, and organize,” she added.

 “For as long as the Duterte regime continues with its rampage of human-rights violations in line with the drug war and Oplan Kapayapaan, Karapatan and other groups will continue with its campaigns to demand accountability and justice, including engaging with UN mechanisms.” - Rhodina Villanueva