Justice system working – Eleazar

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar yesterday said that domestic remedies and the country’s justice system are working in investigations of alleged human rights abuses in President Duterte’s war on drugs.

Eleazar gave the assurance after the Commission on Human Rights expressed hope that local remedies were working as the International Criminal Court starts its probe of accusations of crimes against humanity in the administration’s anti-drug campaign.

“May mga ahensya po tayo na kasalukuyan nang tumitingin sa mga alegasyon ng human rights violations sa bansa (There are agencies looking into allegations of human rights violations in the country),” he said in a statement.

Eleazar cited as an example the Department of Justice (DOJ), which is reviewing cases involving police officers found to have committed lapses in the implementation of anti-drug operations.

The PNP recently submitted copies of 53 case folders to the DOJ wherein police officers were found to have violated standard operational procedures.

While the justice system is far from perfect, Eleazar said it is still working and proof of this is that several police officers were found guilty of abusing their authority.