📷Manila Congressman Bienvenido Abante | GMA Network
POLICE officers must have found the congressional inquiry as the perfect opportunity to meet eye to eye – and take photographs of the people testifying against them over the previous administration’s bloody drug war.
This comes as Manila Congressman Bienvenido Abante, in his capacity as chairman of the House Committee on Human Rights investigating extrajudicial killings, scolded and warned cops against taking photographs of witnesses and resource persons.
According to Abante, police officers taking photos of drug war victims’ relatives testifying before the House of Representatives may be cited for contempt, and asked representatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to respect the congressional inquiry and act accordingly.
“Meron tayo dyan mga biktima sa labas. And I was told that there are some police people who are taking pictures of them… If they (police) do not want to be held in contempt, I do not want anyone taking pictures of anybody, if you are not a member of the media.”
“I am prohibiting any police officers from taking pictures of these victims. Respect this committee,” he added.
To protect the witnesses, Abante provided a holding room for the resource persons, as part of his commitment to safeguard the victims’ relatives who would testify.
“I fully acknowledge the fears and the reluctance that many may feel about coming forward to testify. These fears are real… they have basis,” he averred.
He however gave assurance that as a human rights advocate himself, he will make sure that families of the human rights victims get the protection from the panel probing allegations of abuses among the policemen during the implementation of war against illegal drugs.
“But the House of Representatives is here to support you, to safeguard your rights, and to ensure your safety,” the Manila congressman assured.
Previously, Merly Fernandez of Barangay Bagong Silang in Caloocan said that her son, Wesley Fernandez, who was killed by masked individuals in October 2016, was protesting his killing even in his dying moments.
Both Fernandez’ son and husband were shot in front of her and her grandchildren.
Christine Pascual, mother of 17-year-old Joshua Pascual Laxamana who was killed by police officers in Pangasinan during the implementation of the past administration’s drug war, also recounted the ordeal of losing his son who has nothing to do with the illegal drugs.
Police operatives insisted that the minor fired a gun against them, but Pascual insisted that Laxamana was on his way home from a Dota tournament in Baguio City. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
