Written answers

Friday, 16 September 2016

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Foreign Conflicts

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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866. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that over 3,000 persons have been killed in the Philippines since President Duterte came to power (details supplied); and his views on these developments. [26307/16]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of reports of an increase in killings in the Philippines since President Rodrigo Duterte came to power this year, which has been linked to a crackdown on drug offences in that country. The Government is deeply concerned about these reports.

Ireland supports the statement made by UN Special Rapporteurs, Agnes Callamard and Dainius Puras, on 18 August, which called on the authorities of the Philippines to adopt with immediate effect the necessary measures to protect all persons from targeted killings and extrajudicial executions, to put an end to any incentives to violence, and to promptly and thoroughly investigate all allegations of extrajudicial executions.

Ireland also supports the statement made on September 13 by Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, at the opening of the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council. The Commissioner said that empowering police forces to shoot to kill any individual who is suspected of drug crimes, with or without evidence, undermines justice; that the people of the Philippines have a right to judicial institutions that are impartial, and operate under due process guarantees; and they have a right to a police force that serves justice.

Ireland also supports the statement by EU High Representative Federica Mogherini on the Philippines given to the European Parliament on September 15, in which she stressed that responses to drug problems must be carried out in full compliance with human rights, the rule of law and the right to due process. HR/VP Mogherini also noted that President Duterte has repeatedly expressed his administration’s commitment to human rights and that he has warned the police against any abuse of authority. This statement highlighted that there will be several high-level meetings between the HR/VP and the Philippines to discuss human rights issues further, and a formal human rights dialogue will be established following the entry into force of a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and the Philippines. The HR/VP is also looking at ways to provide further support to the Philippines in a comprehensive approach to combat drug trafficking in line with our shared values.

In April the UN General Assembly held a Special Session on effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem. Ireland supports the recommendations contained in the outcome document of the Special Session, which sets out that States should promote proportionate policies for drug-related offences whereby the severity of penalties is proportionate to the gravity of offences, and that States should also promote and implement criminal justice responses to drug-related crimes that ensure legal guarantees and due process safeguards.

Along with our counterparts in the EU, Ireland will continue to monitor the situation and to raise our concerns on this matter in the appropriate fora, including in direct contacts with the authorities in the Philippines.

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