Press Release
October 16, 2019

Dispatch from Crame No. 627:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima's statement on impunity and cover-ups, and the possible fate of ninja cops

10/16/19

Lack of accountability breeds impunity.

General/Mayor Magalong's apprehension that the ninja cops will probably end up dead is well-founded, given the deeply-entrenched culture of impunity and violence that Rodrigo Duterte has propagated since he came into power.

It is not far-fetched that these ninja cops will be eliminated to protect the masterminds of a flourishing illegal drug enterprise in the country. Because so much is at stake, including this sham war against drugs that has blatantly used the poor as cover. Hindi papayag ang mga utak ng mga krimeng ito na lumutang ang kanilang mga pangalan sa imbestigasyon.

The Duterte administration has condoned the systematic persecution of what it considers the enemies of the State--the opposition, activists, some clergymen, the Left, poor drug suspects--as it covers up the crimes and corruption committed by powerful people.

Impunity reigns in the war against drugs, in the persecution of human rights defenders and activists, in the corruption committed by high-ranking government officials. Perpetrators are beyond accountability because they have the blessing of the highest official of the land to eliminate the "deterrents" against his own concept of peace and order, that is of a people scared to resist because any sign of resistance can mean death.

The culture of impunity has to stop. As Duterte narrows the space for dissent, so we must also rise up to shrink the space for impunity. Walang na dapat puwang ang kawalan ng katarungan sa isang malayang lipunan.

(Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 627 here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_no._627)

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