UN high commissioner says severe human rights violations continue in the Philippines MANILA — The head of the United Nations human rights office on Thursday urged the Philippine government to publish the findings of its drug war review panel.
Bachelet was referring to the two drug war reviews that a Department of Justice-led panel has so far examined but whose reports have never been publicized thus far. Sugay told ANC Rundown Tuesday that in the second drug war review, they found a lack of scene of the crime operatives reports, paraffin tests, ballistics tests, as well as the lack of any attempt on the part of the police officers to determine the ownership of the firearms recovered from slain drug suspects who supposedly fought back against authorities.
Most recently, the DOJ said the CHR will be involved in the next phase of the drug war review — ensuring participation of families of drug war victims in the case buildup of the National Bureau of Investigation but whether the CHR will have access to the 2 drug war reports will still be subject to discussion.
She cited a recent Supreme Court order limiting the powers of Quezon City and Manila courts to issue warrants outside their judicial regions and the mandatory use of body cameras in certain police operations. Bachelet noted continued risks of harassment and red-tagging among human rights defenders in the Philippines , journalists, union activists, church workers, judges and lawyers.