(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he would “personally invite” the Human Rights Commissioner of the United Nations to set up a satellite office in the country.
Duterte made the announcement amid repeated criticisms from some affiliated with the Catholic church and the opposition that there were human rights violations in the conduct of police operations in line with the President’s war against illegal drugs.
It also came after the House of Representatives passed a P1,000 budget for the Commission on Human Rights, which it accused of being partial, and selective against policemen.
The Senate, for its part, gave the commission a P600-million budget.
“Every operation, sabihin ko sa (Philippine National Police), ‘Do not operate without the human rights commission (officer) ng UN,'” Duterte said in an ambush interview with reporters during the wake of SP03 Junior Hilario, who was killed on Friday in a police operation against Jason dela Cruz, a suspected gang leader allegedly also engaged in illegal drug activities.
Duterte also reiterated his earlier pronouncement that he would use the P600 million originally intended as CHR budget to purchase body cameras for the police instead, if the House of Representatives insists in giving the CHR a P1,000 budget.
“With the P600 million, I can buy all the cameras (for police to wear). I will order the PNP not to go to operations without (them),” he said.
He added he could also replace the “old” guns of the police.
“Gagamitin ko nalang ang P600 million. Kung ayaw ibigay ng House of Representatives, bigyan (ko ang pulis) ng armor, helmet,” he said.
