Manila mayor: wild, wild West vintage; fond of shoot-to-kill orders; condemned by human rights and justice officials

Criticism of Mayor Lim mounts over shoot-to-kill order vs cops - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Criticism of Mayor Lim mounts over shoot-to-kill order vs cops
By Philip Tubeza, Leila B. Salaverria
Agence France-Presse
First Posted 06:48:00 03/20/2011

Filed Under: Philippines - Metro, Police, Crime, Human Rights, Conflicts (general)

MANILA, Philippines—Criticism is mounting against Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim’s shoot-to-kill order against five policemen accused of taking P12 million in ransom recovered from the kidnappers of a Malaysian national.

Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chair Loretta Rosales said Lim’s directive “reduces society to a gangland.”

The shoot-to-kill directive was “unfortunate,” said Rosales, adding that it sends the wrong message to people that shooting anybody is okay.

The policemen earlier disappeared after being accused of taking P12 million out of the claimed P16 million in ransom recovered from the kidnappers of the Malaysian businessman. But they had since come out to dispute the allegations.

Lim’s spokesperson had justified the directive, saying it was meant to ensure that the arresting officers would be protected since the five policemen were presumed to be armed.

“In a civilized society such as ours, capital punishment is deemed incompatible with human rights. Thus, the shooting of a suspect because he is resisting arrest, preempts the criminal justice process and reduces our state to a situation no different from a gangland,” Rosales said in a statement.

According to her, the Manila city government should do its part to incorporate human rights in the practice of law enforcement.

“We therefore call on the city of Manila and all LGUs to work with the PNP in professionalizing law enforcement in accordance with human rights,” she said.

Rosales noted that there was no lack of statutes underscoring the value of the right to life.

The Constitution requires the state to “value the dignity of every human person and guarantee full respect for human rights.”

The Universal Declaration on Human Rights categorically states: “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of persons.”

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that the right to life of everybody should be protected by law, and nobody should be arbitrarily deprived of life.

Earlier, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, herself a former chair of the human rights body, castigated Lim for his shoot-to-kill order.

De Lima had said that Lim was apparently still living in the “wild, wild west.”

“That is no longer in style and it is against the Constitution, and it is against the law and human rights, for heaven’s sake,” De Lima said of the mayor’s order.

Lim should stop issuing shoot-to-kill orders in the future as this violates the due process of law, a Catholic bishop said yesterday.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said the suspects were entitled to due process and should be tried in court.

“Even judges don’t issue such orders. There should be a process first. There should be a warrant of arrest first. Who is Mayor Lim? Does he have the authority to issue such an order?” Pabillo said.