PNP chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar (File photo)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday reiterated that the country's justice system is working and no need for international bodies to intervene.
In a statement, PNP chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar assured the wheels of justice in the country are in motion and that local remedies are working when it comes to investigating human rights abuse claims in the government’s anti-drug campaign.
“When it comes to domestic remedies, may mga ahensya tayo na kasalukuyan nang tumitingin sa mga alegasyon ng human rights violations sa bansa (we have agencies that are currently looking into allegations of human rights violations in the country),” he said.
Eleazar was responding to the Commission on Human Rights' (CHR) statement expressing hope that domestic remedies work before the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates accusations of crimes against humanity in the enforcement of the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
He said one of these remedies is the partnership of the PNP and the Department of Justice in reviewing cases involving policemen found to have committed lapses on the Police Operating Procedure in the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations.
“Our giving access to these documents to the DOJ (Department of Justice) for review, is our openness to holding PNP personnel accountable for their crimes should there be a finding of criminal liability by the agency. We have nothing to hide and we have committed to make available to the DOJ any other document that may be asked of us in the course of the department’s review,” he added.
Recently, the PNP gave DOJ access to 53 case records from the Internal Affairs Service for its review.
Eleazar pointed out that the justice system in the Philippines may not be perfect but it is working.
“We in the PNP firmly believe that the wheels of justice in the country are in motion. Marami na po tayong pulis na napanagot dahil sa paglabag sa batas at pag-abuso sa kapangyarihan. Bawat alegasyon din po sa ating mga kapulisan ay agad nating sinisilip at iniimbestigahan dahil hindi natin kinukunsinti ang mga tiwali at abusado sa hanay ng PNP (We have many police officers held accountable for breaking the law and abusing power. Every allegation against our policemen is immediately looked into and investigated because we do not tolerate the corrupt and abusive among the ranks of the PNP),” said Eleazar. (PNA)
