MANILA, Philippines — Sixty-two human rights and civil society organizations called on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to create an independent international investigation mechanism into alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) and other “serious” human rights violations in the Philippines under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. The groups likewise remarked that the human rights situation in the country “has undergone a dramatic decline” since Duterte became president in 2016. In its report released in June, the UNHRC noted a “near impunity” in the Philippines government’s handling of drug war killings. The groups also stressed that a more robust response from the UNHRC is needed to deter further killings and other human rights violations and ensure accountability. The groups also told the UNHRC that launching an investigation is the “only credible next step that the HRC can take to address the ongoing human rights crisis in the Philippines.”/MUFRead NextEDITORS' PICKMOST READ

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 28, 2020 06:45 UTC