MANILA, Philippines — Amnesty International said it has every right to demand accountability from the Philippine government for the killings of thousands in the anti-drug campaign initiated by President Rodrigo Duterte. Amnesty International Philippines made the statement Tuesday after presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo accused the human rights watchdog of “always politicizing the so-called extrajudicial killings in the country.”In its new report released Monday, Amnesty alleged that Duterte’s narcotics crackdown has become a “systematic” campaign of abuses. These people are worried about their safety thus, it is extremely difficult for them to come forward,” Olano said. “Accusing Amnesty International of politicizing the issue of extrajudicial executions is just another way of muddling the Duterte administration’s accountability and its complicity on the gravity of this problem,” Olano said. He also said that Panelo should “at least do his homework first by reading our report” before making a response.

Source: Philippine Star July 09, 2019 10:18 UTC