DOJ: Special team to probe extrajudicial killings

JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday said she plans to create a special team of prosecutors to solely handle the investigation of cases of extrajudicial killings that became rampant during the Arroyo administration.

At a press briefing, de Lima noted that the creation of a Department of Justice (DOJ) team of prosecutors is being eyed after the investigation of the extrajudicial killings was removed from the mandate of the Truth Commission recently created by President Aquino through Executive Order 1.

The Truth Commission will specifically investigate allegations of graft and corruption against officials of the former administration.

De Lima said the creation of a special team of prosecutors is the “easiest and doable” way to address the extrajudicial killings, considering that the proposal earlier made by the National Press Club to create a superbody for such cases would entail the issuance of another executive or administrative order from the President.

She said she brought up the plan to create a DOJ team of prosecutors to investigate extrajudicial killings during her meeting on Tuesday with human-rights advocate group Pagbabago, headed by Fr. Joe Dizon.

Pagbabago sought a meeting with the DOJ chief to verify the government’s plans to address the increasing number of extrajudicial killings in the country.

“So in the next two weeks, I will have to decide which option will be implemented. Of course, the most doable is the creation of the DOJ special team of prosecutors to investigate extrajudicial killings,” she said.

She also said Task Force 211, tasked to investigate extrajudicial killings, will be retained but its current composition will be reviewed.

The task force has recorded more than 200 cases of extrajudicial killings under the Arroyo administration; Karapatan, a human-rights advocate, claimed that there are already more than 1,000 cases. –Joel R. San Juan / Reporter, Businessmirror