International socialist, progressive groups call for end to EJKs

AN INTERNATIONAL delegation of representatives from socialist and progressive groups have joined the call for a probe on the Duterte government’s war on illegal drugs as well as the protection of democratic processes.

“It’s claimed to be a war on drugs but it’s actually war against the poor people,” Swedish parliament member Emilia Toyra said in a press conference yesterday.

The delegation, composed of members of the Progressive Alliance (PA) and the Party of European Socialists (PES), visited families in Metro Manila last week who assert that relatives have been victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) related to the anti-narcotics campaign of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

The other representatives were PA coordinator Konstantin Woinoff; Giacomo Filibeck, deputy secretary general of PES; Thomas O. Melia, deputy assistant secretary of state for democracy and human rights in the Barack Obama administration; European Parliament member Arne Lietz; Conny Reuter, secretary general, SOLIDAR; and Ben Maxfield of the Australian Labour Party. The Philippine’s Akbayan Party-list Rep. Tom S. Villarin was also present during the press conference.

They stressed that the government must take steps for the immediate end of the killings and to let the United Nations conduct an investigation without compromising conditions.

The group also raised the alarm on what it called the “silencing of dissent” by the administration. They cited the case of jailed Senator Leila M. de Lima, one of the staunchest critics of the President.

“The rule of law has been non-existent in this country,” said Mr. Lietz.

At the same time, the delegation defended that they are not in the country to interfere in the decision-making process of the Philippine government but to support democracy.

“The reason why we are here is that we want democracy in this country to continue. We, in fact, admire the Philippine democracy,” said Mr. Filibeck.

“It is intolerable that dissent is being silenced,” he added.

The members of the delegation pointed out that if the Philippine government is to remain committed to democracy, it should stop politically motivated harassment against the peaceful political opposition. — Andrea Louise E. San Juan