Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
AMNESTY International on Monday raised red flags about the human rights record of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and expressed alarm at the public鈥檚 fascination with his notoriety for using trigger-happy solutions to crime.
The London-based nongovernment organization, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977, said that of the five presidential aspirants, it had been monitoring 鈥渇or the longest time鈥� the activities of Duterte, who has emerged as a front-runner in opinion polls, particularly on persistent rumors of his links to the vigilante 鈥淒avao Death Squad.鈥�
One of the mayor鈥檚 recent pronouncements that has particularly distressed the human rights group was when he said he intended to revive the death penalty and 鈥渢o execute it on a weekly basis,鈥� said Amnesty International Philippines (AIP) chair Ritz Lee Santos III.
鈥淭here are no formal charges in court, but based on the records of the Commission on Human Rights, which we also monitor, there are allegations of human rights violations against him,鈥� he said.
The militant Karapatan, one of the most vocal rights groups in the Philippines, has been unusually silent on alleged vigilante killings in Davao City.
鈥淚t鈥檚 general knowledge, and we don鈥檛 agree with it. But it鈥檚 hard when there鈥檚 no documentation. We should be able to substantiate any allegations,鈥� said Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general. 鈥淣o one is coming forward,鈥� she told the Inquirer.
Under Duterte鈥檚 helm as mayor, congressman and vice mayor, Davao City has risen in the past two decades to become one of the world鈥檚 safest cities, but at the cost of human rights violations purportedly with the mayor鈥檚 blessing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 alarming,鈥� said AIP campaigner Wilnor Papa.
鈥淚 understand why there鈥檚 a feeling of insecurity and feeling of desperation because of the state of crime. But there are other solutions besides 鈥榢ill the criminal,鈥欌�� he said.
Santos clarified that the group would not campaign against Duterte, and that it had no intention of supporting any of the other candidates.
鈥淭his is not specific to the person, but we want to call the people鈥檚 attention to the need for education and respect for human rights,鈥� he said.
鈥淭hey have to understand that the right to life is inviolable and should not be abused at any opportunity. People ought to be educated that human rights is nonnegotiable,鈥� Santos said.
Beyond the group鈥檚 alarm at Duterte鈥檚 鈥渟hotgun policies,鈥� he said, 鈥渨e are more alarmed about how the public has responded, and how the public believes a firm hand is needed in addressing crime.鈥�
鈥淜illing should not be made part of a bigger problem,鈥� he said.
Papa said Duterte鈥檚 alarming stance on human rights was not new to Amnesty International, which had released reports on the activities of the Davao Death Squad, a notorious group of vigilantes targeting criminals or crime suspects.
鈥淚n the course of Amnesty International鈥檚 work, we have had the opportunity to call his attention on some allegations on his pronouncements that are somehow human rights violations,鈥� Santos said.
Challenge to candidates
On Monday, the organization issued a five-point challenge to compel the five presidential aspirants to make public commitments on human rights if elected in May 2016.
But none of the candidates sent any response to the organization鈥檚 letters, Santos said.
Amnesty International is asking the candidates to pledge the following in their first 100 days in office:
End extrajudicial executions, unlawful arrests, secret detention, enforced disappearances, torture and other ill treatment, and prevent the use of counterinsurgency and counterterrorism to justify human rights violations.
Establish control and accountability over the military, the police and other state-sponsored forces, and ensure witness protection.
Ensure the safe and voluntary return of the displaced, and embed human rights protection in the peace process.
Make human rights a priority integrated across government bodies.
Ratify key treaties on human rights and international humanitarian law.
Aquino record 鈥榙ismal鈥�
In 2010, Amnesty International issued a similar challenge to the incoming administration of President Aquino.
But since then, the group has given a 鈥渄ismal鈥� rating to the administration鈥檚 approach to such issues as extrajudicial executions, unlawful arrests, secret detention, enforced disappearances and torture.
鈥淧resident Aquino has failed to issue an executive order showing his commitment to ending enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions,鈥� Santos said.
He said there was little progress in exacting accountability from state forces like the military and the police committing human rights transgressions.
鈥淣ot one perpetrator of torture had been punished,鈥� he said.
Santos said the Aquino administration had also failed to review the Witness Protection Program, and to revoke Executive Order No. 546 directing the police to support the military in counterinsurgency work.
鈥淎s in our 2010 recommendations, these are still included in our five-point human rights agenda for 2016,鈥� he said.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte鈥檚 running mate, urged Amnesty people to visit Davao City.
鈥淒avao is a city where the rights of people are respected. Where women, children, Christians, Muslims and all peace-loving people live together in a safe, humane and equitable environment. This is the mark of Duterte leadership,鈥� he said.
鈥淲hat is important to Mayor Duterte is to ensure that peace loving people are safe in their homes, safe in the streets. We want people from all religions, beliefs, ideologies to live together in a peaceful and fair environment.鈥�
In Angeles City Monday, former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who is running for senator in the administration ticket, vowed to fight Duterte.
鈥淚f I have to spend the rest of my life advocating for the opposite of what Mayor Duterte stands for, I will do that even if that鈥檚 the only thing I will do,鈥� De Lima told the Inquirer when asked for reactions to Duterte鈥檚 topping the latest nationwide survey on presidential candidates.
鈥淲e鈥檙e under a system of rule of law. We are a democratic and civilized society and it is necessary that we follow a process in going after criminals,鈥� she said. With reports from Jaymee T. Gamil, Nancy C. Carvajal and Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon