The Inter-Agency Committee on Extra-Legal Killings led by the Department of Justice (DOJ) will investigate the police operations that led to the death of nine activists in Calabarzon on March 7.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said a special investigation team headed by DOJ prosecutors has been created following the referral of the case to the Administrative Order (AO) 35 Committee.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), also a member of the committee, will join the probe. Sec. Guevarra disclosed that the CHR may have information gathered “which may be useful to the work of A035 Committee.”
Regarding search warrants which are the basis of operations, Sec. Guevarra explained that the problem is not on the issuance but on the implementation of law enforcers when there is a tendency to use unnecessary force.
The justice secretary appealed to witnesses of extralegal killings to come forward and coordinate with authorities to help facilitate the resolution of the case.
“Until and unless people who have personal knowledge about the incident would come forward and give us firsthand information, it’s really difficult,” Guevarra admitted.
– Report from Kenneth Paciente
