The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Tuesday raised concerns over the alleged involvement of high-ranking officials in illegal drug operations, urging the government to thoroughly investigate these personalities.
“We are very disturbed by the possibility that high-ranking officials could have been involved in the drug-trade. The investigation must be thorough going and must spare none,” CBCP president and Lingayen Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a statement.
On August 25, Duterte released a matrix showing the supposed links of several former and current government officials, including Sen. Leila De Lima, to drug lords detained in the New Bilibid Prison.
De Lima denied her involvement in illegal drug operations, saying that she has no connections with alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.
Sen. Manny Pacquiao, however, said De Lima received P8 million from Espinosa.
In the same statement, Villegas criticized the way the government handles its anti-drug campaign.
“[T]he daily reports of suspects and detainees shot by law-enforcers supposedly because nanlaban sila or nang-agaw ng baril are very disturbing and truly distressing,” Villegas said.
“There is no way that a government can credibly claim that it is waging a relentless war on drugs to preserve life – while in the process abetting, encouraging or fomenting the destruction of life thought – wrongly – to be unworthy!” he added.
The CBCP also commended the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for its continuous call for the government to respect human rights. Villegas even offered their support to the body. “We are aware that many times, the CHR has been the victim of vilification, its endeavors ridiculed and despised. But it is doing what the Constitution has mandated it to do – and we stand with the Commission on Human Rights,” he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte often criticizes the CHR and human rights groups for allegedly undermining the government's anti-crime and anti-illegal drug operations by submitting them to various investigations.
In his first State of the Nation Address before a joint session of Congress, Duterte said: "Human rights must work to uplift human dignity. But human rights cannot be used as a shield or an excuse to destroy the country."
Moreover, Villegas said international watchers and monitoring groups “should not be cavalierly dismissed.”
“These are specialized agencies of an international stature, and when they warn that human rights are egregiously violated, their warnings ought to be heeded by any conscientious government,” Villegas said.
Villegas also said that while the government pursues its campaign against illegal drugs, it should also ensure that the rights and well-being of the drug suspects must not be denied.
“We seek the elimination of the drug trade and an end to the proliferation of habituating substances because they constitute a real threat to well-being. But we cannot be consistent in this resolve by denying some the right to their own well-being, fundamental to which is the right to life!” Villegas said.
“We are very disturbed by the possibility that high-ranking officials could have been involved in the drug-trade. The investigation must be thorough going and must spare none,” CBCP president and Lingayen Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a statement.
On August 25, Duterte released a matrix showing the supposed links of several former and current government officials, including Sen. Leila De Lima, to drug lords detained in the New Bilibid Prison.
De Lima denied her involvement in illegal drug operations, saying that she has no connections with alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.
Sen. Manny Pacquiao, however, said De Lima received P8 million from Espinosa.
In the same statement, Villegas criticized the way the government handles its anti-drug campaign.
“[T]he daily reports of suspects and detainees shot by law-enforcers supposedly because nanlaban sila or nang-agaw ng baril are very disturbing and truly distressing,” Villegas said.
“There is no way that a government can credibly claim that it is waging a relentless war on drugs to preserve life – while in the process abetting, encouraging or fomenting the destruction of life thought – wrongly – to be unworthy!” he added.
The CBCP also commended the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for its continuous call for the government to respect human rights. Villegas even offered their support to the body. “We are aware that many times, the CHR has been the victim of vilification, its endeavors ridiculed and despised. But it is doing what the Constitution has mandated it to do – and we stand with the Commission on Human Rights,” he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte often criticizes the CHR and human rights groups for allegedly undermining the government's anti-crime and anti-illegal drug operations by submitting them to various investigations.
In his first State of the Nation Address before a joint session of Congress, Duterte said: "Human rights must work to uplift human dignity. But human rights cannot be used as a shield or an excuse to destroy the country."
Moreover, Villegas said international watchers and monitoring groups “should not be cavalierly dismissed.”
“These are specialized agencies of an international stature, and when they warn that human rights are egregiously violated, their warnings ought to be heeded by any conscientious government,” Villegas said.
Villegas also said that while the government pursues its campaign against illegal drugs, it should also ensure that the rights and well-being of the drug suspects must not be denied.
“We seek the elimination of the drug trade and an end to the proliferation of habituating substances because they constitute a real threat to well-being. But we cannot be consistent in this resolve by denying some the right to their own well-being, fundamental to which is the right to life!” Villegas said.
Source: gmanetwork
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