No Duterte order to withhold info on activist killings – Palace

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has not prevented anyone from cooperating with the investigation of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on the killing of 89 activists and human rights defenders, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said yesterday.

Roque belied reports the President has ordered the police not to release data to the agency as alleged by CHR Commissioner Leah Tanodra-Armamento the other day.

This reportedly stalled the probe on the reported killings of human rights activists, the CHR official said.

“There is no truth to the alleged report that President Duterte instructed the Philippine National Police not to release or share their information to the Commission on Human Rights regarding the recent attacks against right defenders and activists,” Roque said.

He added that the President, being a lawyer and an officer of the court, “adheres to the rule of law and wants the wheels of justice to grind, for the sake of the victims of abuse and violence and their families.”

Roque assured the public that the government also shares the call for justice for the slain rights defenders.

“The administration is equally interested to unmask those behind these brazen killings, which are being blamed on state agents, and we will leave no stone unturned to put these people behind bars,” he said.