MALACAÑANG CRITICIZED as “propaganda” an activist group’s filing before the United Nations (UN) of cases on extrajudicial killings (EJKs).

Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay on Saturday, Dec. 2, sent a letter to UN Special Rapporteurs Agnes Callamard and Michel Forst flagging 45 EJK cases in the present administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

These 45 cases are apart from the 47 that Karapatan filed before the UN on April 10.

“From one counterinsurgency program to another, cases of extrajudicial killings against peasants, indigenous peoples, Moro, workers, women and youth continue to be committed with impunity under the murderous Duterte regime,” Ms. Palabay’s said in her letter, adding:

“Also, most, if not all, of the perpetrators of human rights violations under the administrations of former Presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III have not been brought to justice.”

Ms. Palabay also tagged recently retired military chief Eduardo M. Año to human rights violations during those administrations.

In response, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said in a text message to reporters: “It’s useless to go to the UN without filing cases before the fiscal’s office. Filing directly with the UN is only for propaganda purposes because there are institutions in the Philippines that could address it.”

“So, they should file it in the fiscal’s office, they should file it with the Supreme Court for writ of Amparo if they’re concerned about upholding the right to life,” Mr. Roque also said.

The writ of amparo refers to the high court’s legal remedy on the watch of then Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno, amid the EJKs during the Arroyo administration.

In a follow-up statement, Mr. Roque said the “State — not international bodies like the United Nations — is duty-bound to investigate alleged cases of EJKs. (And) Karapatan knows that it can avail (itself) of all domestic remedial mechanisms.”

“Certainly, Karapatan knows the cases will not prosper there in the UN. It is the political mileage they are after in pursuit of their continued intent to malign this administration, through the special rapporteurs who only seem too willing to act based on fake political information,” he also said.

Ms. Palabay, in turn, said, “We do not file cases or complaints for mere publicity purposes. People are not mere facts in a press release.”

She added: “May we remind Atty. Roque that exhaustion of domestic remedies is not a prerequisite in submitting letter of allegations or reports to UN Special Procedures. Exhaustion of domestic remedies is also relative to the compliance record of State parties like the Philippines to hold the perpetrators accountable.” — Rosemarie A. Zamora

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