Int’l rights group raises alarm over RP killings

An international civil rights organization is raising the alarm over the government’s failure to address the unabated summary executions in the country.

In its 103-page report, the Human Rights Watch (HRW), an international non-government organization, zeroed in on the phenomenon of extra-judicial killings in the country.

Entitled “You can die at any time,” the group quoted Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as saying: “If you are doing an illegal activity in my city, if you are a criminal or part of a syndicate that preys on the innocent people of the city, for as long as I am the mayor, you are a legitimate target of assassination.”

That statement, made in February 2009, puts in context the seeming impunity with which the murders have been carried out.

The report said the cases of “salvagings” have risen over the years. There were two cases in Davao City in 1998, but this had increased to 98 in 2003 to 124 in 2008.

This year, 33 murders were recorded in January alone.

More than 800 summary executions have been posted, with the victims alleged drug dealers, petty criminals and even street children belonging to street gangs.

Human Rights Watch pointed out that “impunity for such crimes is nearly total — few such cases have been seriously investigated. –Daily Tribune