Residents of San Andres Bukid in Manila filed on Wednesday before the Supreme Court (SC) a petition for writ of amparo against members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Atty. Joel Ruiz Butuyan, of the Center for International Law Manila (Centerlaw), said the class suit was filed on behalf of the residents of the 28 barangays (villages) of San Andres Bukid specifically against Manila Police District (MPD) Station 6.
Under the law, a writ of amparo is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty and security is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity. The writ shall cover extralegal killings and enforced disappearances.
According to Butuyan, who represents members of the Religious of the Good Shepherd (RGS) and families and victims of the administration鈥檚 鈥渨ar on drugs鈥, the Manila residents 鈥渁re all at risk of suffering the same fate鈥 as the victims of the government鈥檚 bloody anti-illegal drugs campaign.
Butuyan noted that since the war on drugs has been launched last year, 35 people have been killed in the community causing the residents to fear for their lives.
There were also several recorded instances of threats and harassments from the police, he added.
鈥淒ahil rampant dito 鈥榶ung pagpatay, rampant yung paghuli ng mga testigo, 鈥榶ung mga nakakita ng pagpatay, rampant din 鈥榶ung sa madaling araw pinapasok 鈥榶ung bahay nila, rampant 鈥榶ung armadong kalalakihan walang takot rumoronda sa mga komunidad at pumapasok lang sa mga bahay-bahay,鈥 Butuyan said.
The lead petitioner in the class suit is Sr. Ma. Juanita R. Da帽o, a member of RGS and head of a mission, assisting families of tokhang victims in San Andres Bukid.
This is the second petition for a writ of amparo filed by Centerlaw in connection with the government鈥檚 drive versus illegal drugs.
The first petition for writ of amparo was filed on January 26, 2017 in behalf of the families of the 鈥渢okhang鈥 victims, who worked as garbage collectors and scavengers in Payatas, Quezon City.
The tokhang victims were identified as Marcelo Daa Jr., Raffy Gabo, Anthony Comendo, and Jessie Cule; and the lone survivor, Efren Morillo, a fruit and vegetable vendor.聽 聽聽 /kga