The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has expressed “deep concern” over the "shoot-to-kill" order issued by the police against Cordillera Peoples' Alliance chairperson Windel Bolinget and other activists and human rights workers who are facing murder charges.
It was Cordillera police chief, Police Brig. Gen. R’win Pagkalinawan, who issued the "shoot-to-kill" order against Bolinget should he or the others resist arrest.
Since the threat was aired, it was reported that Bolinget turned himself over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Baguio City for custody and protection.
"We at the CHR continues to remind the government, particularly our law enforcers, to maintain adherence and respect for the rule of law. Presumption of innocence and guarantee for due process are vested rights upon any individual granted by the Constitution," CHR Spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia, a lawyer, said.
Guia said the commission is now looking into the "trumped-up murder charges" made against Bolinget and his peers. She did not give the details of the murder charges.
She said the situation faced by Bolinget highlights the need to protect the country's human rights defenders who should be allowed to carry out their work without fear of harassment or harm, especially when they are calling out the government to demand for better services, she said.
She also pointed out that “activism is a crucial facet of any democracy, and it is wrong for the government to discredit activism as a form of terrorism and mistake legitimate causes as communist agenda.”
"CHR joins the call in the statement of the UN (United Nations) experts to put a stop to attempts to silence and delegitimize the human rights work of various groups," she said.
"We will continue to do our work as an independent national human rights organization and shall be reaching out to all concerned parties," she declared.