of the Philippines the criminal justice system is - Article 2

or not any offences have been committed. It is for this purpose
that the AHRC issued its appeal on the case: that there might be
a credible, independent investigation by the concerned
authorities followed by the necessary judicial intervention. Until
this much is done, upon what grounds does your agency have
any right to issue press releases on behalf of the police? Without
this much being done, what part of your press release could be
deemed “accurate”?
By reproducing what amounts to a factually erroneous rebuttal
of some serious allegations against the police, your agency’s
credibility has been severely damaged, as has that of the entire
Philippine administration. It casts serious doubts on the sincerity
of the state to afford redress to victims of killings, disappearances,
torture and other gross abuses in the Philippines. It further
isolates victims and their families, and boosts the impunity and
fear that is spreading throughout the country. It also undermines
the role of the justice system and increases public distrust in
the capacity of the state to respond to the very grave human
rights abuses that are going on constantly in the Philippines.
Your agency has a crucial role and great responsibility to the
people of the Philippines. On this occasion you have somehow
confused that role with the acting as a mouthpiece for police
propaganda. The Asian Human Rights Commission urges you to
rescue your reputation and restore some confidence in the work
of the government of the Philippines on human rights issues by
1. Retracting the January 12 press release and issuing a public
apology to the families of the victims without delay.
2. Conducting an inquiry to establish and discipline the person
or persons in your office responsible for the press release.
3. Undertaking that no further such press releases will be
issued in the future and that reporting by the agency will in fact
be based upon facts rather than one-sided and unproven
statements from the police or any other state officers.
The credibility and reputation of any media institution--be it
public or private--depends on the accuracy, fairness and
independence of its reporting. While your agency is justified in
concentrating its reports on the work of state officials and their
offices, you cannot afford to confuse this legitimate exercise with
becoming an accomplice to contrived and manipulated
information aimed at exonerating authorities from wrongdoing
or achieving other dubious ends. Do not allow yourselves to be
used. If you make that mistake, you will loose the trust of the
public in the Philippines and very many other interested persons
and organisations beyond its borders, and become known as
nothing other than a mouthpiece for state propaganda.
Yours sincerely
Basil Fernando
Executive Director
Asian Human Rights Commission
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article 2 • February 2007 Vol. 6, No. 1