EU panel lauds ’promising’ steps taken, including war on drugs shift
Visiting members of the European Union parliament noted improvements in the human rights environment in the Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“It was better than it was under President [Rodrigo] Duterte,” said European Parliament member Hannah Neumann in a press briefing yesterday.
“People were more open to discussing human rights, but things could improve if they were implemented,” she added.
In a separate statement, the EU Parliament members “welcomed the new government’s commitment to engage on human rights with the international community, including UN mechanisms.”
They said they were “encouraged by promising first steps and announcements in this regard, notably within the framework of the UN Universal Periodic Review.”
They likewise “noted favourably the President’s commitment to change the focus of the ‘war on drugs’ away from a punitive approach towards prevention and rehabilitation, and welcomed the commitment not to reintroduce the death penalty.’
Neumann, who is a vice chairperson of the European Parliament subcommittee on human rights, added that allowing the International Criminal Court to proceed with its probe on the killings related to Duterte’s war on drugs would be a step in the right direction.
She said the prosecution of those involved in the killings “will go on forever” with the current pace of the investigation.
She said re-joining the Rome Statute of the ICC “would reinforce the [Philippine] government’s stated commitment to fighting impunity.”
“Let us just take 6,000 since it was the number said by Senator [Ronald] Dela Rosa. Those 6,000 cases need to be filed, witnesses have to be found, evidence has to be collected for each and everyone,” Neumann said.
“Nine months into the new administration, 25 cases are being investigated and three people charged. This will go on forever if we go on like this. ICC’s support will ensure that the 6,000 cases will be investigated properly.”
“Asking the ICC to come is the perfect way to do it,” Neumann added.
Earlier, President Marcos said the Philippines will not cooperate with the ICC because it has a “good” and working justice system.
“My position has not changed. I have stated it often, even before I took office as President, that there are many questions about (ICC’s) jurisdiction, and what we in the Philippines regard as an intrusion into our internal matters and a threat to our sovereignty,” the President said.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla also assailed the ICC, asking why it was investigating the government’s war on drugs and not the drug cartels.
“If the ICC really wants to investigate, why don’t they investigate the drug cartels destroying our country? That’s why we had a drug war,” Remulla said.