MALACAÑANG SAID on Thursday that it will look into the recent killings in the country, including those of Catholic priest Mark Anthony Ventura and radio broadcaster Edmund Sestoso.
“We condemn all the killings. I can assure you that the government is doing its part in fulfilling its responsibilities. These will be investigated, and the murderers will be punished,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr., speaking in Filipino, told reporters in press briefing at the Palace.
He added: “To the members of the press [killed], we have the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) headed by [Executive Director Joel Sy] Egco. Such cases will be given priority.”
Mr. Ventura was shot dead on April 29 in Gattaran town, Cagayan after holding Mass. The following day, Mr. Sestoso was murdered by men riding-in-tandem in Dumaguete City.
HRW ON AMO
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticized Netflix’s latest miniseries “Amo” as propaganda for the drug war in the Philippines.
HRW Asia Division Director Phelim Kline, in an opinion piece, accused the show of presenting “a sinister revisionist take on an ongoing human-rights calamity.”
The Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs has been repeatedly criticized by HRW, along with other local and international groups.
A related case against President Rodrigo R. Duterte has been filed before the International Criminal Court.
Critics claim that deaths related to the drug war have reached as much as 12,000 since the start of the campaign in July 2016.
The Duterte administration has denied such number.
Mr. Kline said the series “Amo,” directed by Brillante Mendoza — who has won international film awards and a known Duterte supporter — failed to elaborate on the police executions done mostly to the marginalized sector. — Arjay L. Balinbin and Gillian M. Cortez

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