Amnesty slams Philippine leader's shoot-to-kill order

By Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines

A London-based non-government organization has slammed the Philippine president's promise to maintain a “shoot to kill” order in his crackdown on crime, calling it a clear violation of the fundamental human right to life.

In a statement on its website Thursday, Amnesty International underlined that such a decision could lead to further killings in the country.

"This is a deeply alarming call given the rapid rise in killings in the Philippines. Amnesty International strongly opposes such measures, which will further exacerbate the culture of impunity amongst law enforcement officials for human rights violations in the Philippines," it added.

The statement comes as a “Kill List” published Aug. 8 by national newspaper the Inquirer states 564 drug-related deaths since President Rodrigo Duterte was inaugurated June 30.

"These latest statements by President Duterte give law enforcement agencies unrestricted powers to continue further killings, which affects the most marginalized sectors of the population, including people who use drugs."

Earlier this month, Duterte issued a shoot-to-kill order against “narcopoliticos,” before publicly naming local government officials and judges allegedly linked to drugs.

The next day, around 31 police officers and 27 local officials turned themselves in.

In its statement, Amnesty said the Philippine government must adhere to international human rights standards while upholding public order and protecting the lives of individuals, and law enforcement officials should be required to “as far as possible, apply non-violent means before resorting to the use of force”.

“Under international human rights law, including treaties which legally bind the Philippines, the right to life is non-derogable. It cannot be restricted even in times of crisis,” the group stated.

“Where the use of force is unavoidable, they must ‘exercise restraint in such use and act in proportion to the seriousness of the offense and the legitimate objective to be achieved’, minimize damage and injury and ‘ensure that assistance and medical aid are rendered to any injured or affected persons at the earliest possible moment’,” it added.

The group also criticized Duterte’s “deeply troubling” practice of publicly naming individuals supposedly involved in the drug trade “without providing sufficient evidence or due process”, saying it will contribute to “lawlessness”.

“Amnesty International is also concerned that the practice of public naming and shaming of individuals, in a climate where anyone can kill anyone in the name of the ‘war on crime’, is highly dangerous and will not only contribute to unlawful killings, but increased lawlessness, with ‘punishment’ being meted out in the absence of legal authority, cogent evidence and fair legal procedures,” it said.

During his first State of the Nation address July 25, Duterte said that the government would not stop until "the last drug lord, the last financier, and the last pusher had surrendered or [been] put behind bars or below the ground".

Duterte, however, has also said he will be "sensitive to the State's obligations to promote, and protect, fulfill the human rights of our citizens, especially the poor, the marginalized and the vulnerable".