Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar today clarified a news report that said he committed an error regarding an 18-member United Nations team that will visit the Philippines on September 28-29.
“I did not confirm in a radio interview that a UN team would arrive next week to look into accusations of extrajudicial killings in the country’s war against drugs and upon the invitation of President Rodrigo Duterte,” Andanar said.
“What I said in a radio interview is that there should be an official invitation from the Philippine government, coursed through formal channels, for such a visit to become official,” he said.
Andanar explained that the UN 18-member team is actually from the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
“As one of the 164 state signatories to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [ICESCR], the Philippines is required to undergo regular review. The review to be conducted by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights review will not cover alleged extrajudicial killings,” he said.
The ICESCR is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 16, 1966 which the Philippines signed on Dec. 19, 1966 and ratified on June 4, 1974.
Andanar said that if ever there is going to be a UN investigation of alleged extrajudicial killings (EJK) in the Philippines, it should be conducted by the UN Special Rapporteur on EJK.
“No formal request on this matter has been sent to the Philippines, and no letter-invitation has been sent by the PH government,” he said.
Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose has also clarified that no UN delegation that is supposed to look into alleged extrajudicial killings will arrive in the country this coming week because the DFA has not drafted an invitation to the world body or discussed with them the terms of reference of such a visit.
Jose said that even before the letter is sent, the protocol is for the Philippines and the United Nations to agree on the dates of the visit, places that will be visited, people involved and similar details.
President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier accused United Nations Secretary Genetal Ban Ki-moon of undue interference in the nation’s internal affairs when the UN official condemned alleged extrajudicial killings in the course of the administration’s all-out war against illegal drugs.