On Wednesday, human rights groups gathered outside the House of Representatives to protest parts of a bill that could classify extrajudicial killings (EJKs) by government officials as a “heinous crime.” While Karapatan, a rights group, supports the bill’s goal of holding state forces accountable, they believe the bill needs changes.
Atty. Maria Sol Taule of Karapatan said the bill should follow existing human rights agreements, including laws that protect civilians in armed conflicts. She argued that the bill’s provision, which lets state forces off the hook for killings during military or police operations, should be removed. She pointed out that in the past, innocent civilians were often falsely accused of being fighters and killed during these operations, and keeping this provision would encourage more of these wrongful killings.
Karapatan also criticized the bill for not addressing “command responsibility,” which would make higher-ups accountable for EJKs during military or police operations. They believe that the government’s role in creating programs like the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has fueled violence against activists, human rights defenders, and others.
The group argued that the current administration under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continues the harmful policies of former President Duterte, leading to ongoing human rights violations. They demand an end to extrajudicial killings, the disbandment of NTF-ELCAC, and justice for victims of violence under the Duterte administration.
