US House approves bill tying assistance to conduct of PHL’s drug war

By Camille A. Aguinaldo
FUNDING for the Philippines’ anti-illegal drugs campaign will be deemed contingent on the campaign’s consistency with “international human rights standards,” according to a bill approved last month by the US Congress.
This was the condition provided by the US House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations in its bill on the 2019 State and Foreign Operations approved last June 20.
According to a provision under Section 7043 of the bill, US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo is directed to “determine and report” to US Congress if the Philippines has enforced a “counternarcotics strategy that is consistent with international human rights standards.”
The bill also stated that Mr. Pompeo should determine whether the Philippine government has investigated and prosecuted individuals behind extra-judicial killings.
However, the US House also provided that funds would be available for drug-demand reduction or maritime programs.
The provision stated: “Funds appropriated by this Act under the heading ‘International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement’ may be made available for counternarcotics assistance for the Philippine National Police only if the Secretary of State determines and reports to the Committees on Appropriations that the Government of the Philippines has adopted and is implementing a counternarcotics strategy that is consistent with international human rights standards, including investigating and prosecuting individuals who are credibly alleged to have ordered, committed, or covered up extrajudicial killings and other gross violations of human rights in the conduct of counternarcotics operations: Provided, That the limitation of this paragraph shall not apply to funds made available for drug demand reduction or maritime programs, or to support for the development of such counternarcotics strategy following consultation with the appropriate congressional committees.”
In a separate report related to the bill, the appropriations committee also stated that extrajudicial killings had eroded the confidence of the Philippine government’s commitment to “human rights, due process, and the rule of law.”
The body then asked the US Department of State to “strictly monitor United States assistance” to the Philippines.
The pending counterpart measure in the US Senate committee on appropriations, meanwhile, has limited its funding to the Philippines for “drug demand reduction, maritime law enforcement, or transnational interdiction” regarding its counternarcotics assistance to countries. The bill was filed on June 21 by Republican Senator Lindsey O. Graham.
“Philippines — None of the funds appropriated by this Act under the heading ‘International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement’ may be made available for counternarcotics assistance for the Philippines, except for drug demand reduction, maritime law enforcement, or transnational interdiction,” a provision under Section 7043 of the US Senate bill stated.
In its report on the bill, the US Senate committee noted that the US may discontinue its assistance to the PNP “given the absence of the adoption and implementation of a counternarcotics strategy that is consistent with international human rights.”
The committee then called for the funding to be allocated to USAID for national and community-based drug treatment and demand reduction programs, to be implemented by the Philippines’ Department of Health (DoH).
It also recognized the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ success in dealing with terrorism in the country. However, the committee asked Mr. Pompeo to submit a report to US Congress assessing the “extent to which the AFP is respecting human rights and rule of law,” especially on extra-judicial killings and on the prosecution of military personnel committing human rights violations.
“The AFP must be a legitimate defender of the state and all the people of the Philippines. Therefore, not later than 90 days after enactment of the act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees assessing the extent to which the AFP is respecting human rights and the rule of law, particularly regarding involvement in extra-judicial killings, and the investigation and prosecution of military personnel who commit gross human rights violations. The report shall also include a description of the steps taken by the AFP to implement policies and reforms to prevent such abuses,” the report of the US Senate committee on appropriations stated.
The US, along with several countries and other international organizations, repeatedly raised concerns over the killings related to the Philippines’ drug war.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano, for his part, reiterated that the Philippines remains committed to its international human rights obligations and the rule of law. He had also invited ambassadors from concerned countries to the Philippines to see for themselves “the reality on the ground” regarding the country’s war on drugs.