(Eagle News) — The special rapporteur of the United Nations who had earlier made comments on the rise of extrajudicial killings since the start of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte has set conditions for the visit, including the request for “freedom of inquiry” and “confidential and unsupervised contact with witnesses.”
UN special rapporteur on summary executions Agnes Callamard specified her conditions for her visit to the country to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The conditions were disclosed by Senator Bam Aquino during the Senate deliberations on the proposed 2017 national budget.
The Philippine government, in response to the taunting of several critics, including Senator Leila de Lima, invited Callamard through a letter dated September 26 signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
“In the invitation letter (sent by the Philippines), there were some conditions set. She has responded already with her own conditions,” Aquino said.
Callamar’s conditions as revealed by Senator Aquino, vice chair of the Senate finance committee, were as follows:
1. That the Philippines also extend an invitation to the UN special rapporteur on health;
2. Freedom of movement in the whole country, including whole facilitation of transport, in particular restricted areas;
3. Freedom of inquiry with regard to access to all prisons, detention centers, and places of interrogation;
4. Contacts with central and local authorities;
5. Contacts with representatives of NGOs, private institutions, and the media;
6. Confidential and unsupervised contact with witnesses and other private persons, including persons deprived of their liberty considered necessary to fulfill the mandate of their job;
7. Full access to all documentary material relevant to the mandate;
8. Assurance by the government that persons, whether officials or private individuals who have been in contact with her will not, as a result, suffer threats or punishment or be subjected to judicial proceedings;
9. Appropriate security arrangements without however restricting the freedom of movement of inquiry referred to above
Aquino was the one who sponsored the DFA budget for approval.
President Duterte earlier “insisted on a public debate between himself and the UN special rapporteur” as one of his conditions for Callamard’s visit, but the latter did not reply on this condition, said Aquino.
Instead, she sent her own conditions for her Philippine visit where she is set to probe reports of human rights violations in the government’s war against illegal drugs, including the rise of extrajudicial killings.
Aquino said an inter-agency body will meet next week to discuss the conditions set by the government and Callamard.
