REPORT ON INVESTIGATED KILLINGS IN RELATION TO THE ANTI-ILLEGAL DRUG CAMPAIGN In 2018, pursuant to E.O. No. 2, s. 2016, the PNP adopted its People’s Freedom of Information Manual88 which further restricted the Commission’s access to police investigation records and other documents. In NCR, for example, the police cited Annex K of the PNP FOI Manual containing the List of Detailed Exceptions to Right of Access to information in denying access to documents about 21 drug-related killings. Fifteen (15) out of the 21 incidents occurred in alleged operations conducted by the police. Verbal directives from higher offices have also hindered the Commission’s access to police documents. In 2018, some municipal and city police stations in Bulacan told CHR special investigators that the Bulacan Police Provincial Director allegedly issued a verbal instruction not to release any reports relative to police operations resulting in death absent approval from then Police Director General Ronaldo Dela Rosa.89 Curiously, the directive was invoked in investigations into alleged human rights violations during simultaneous enhanced police operations conducted in the said province. The Commission also notes the refusal by certain regional and provincial Internal Affairs Services to provide documents as to their internal investigations. In Region IV-A, for example, some provincial IAS cited a Memorandum dated 28 July 2017 which allegedly bounds them to “an established protocol which requires that all request, for documents relative to anti-crime operations must be addressed to the Chief, PNP.”90 Another memorandum issued by higher headquarters dated 27 September 2017 was cited to deny a 01 October 2018 request to the Antique PIAS by the CHR Regional Office VI for a copy of official records, documents, and actions pertaining to an alleged drug-related killing.91 Meanwhile, some offices cited a directive from the Inspector General of IAS refraining them from providing vital documents pertaining to an investigation without his prior approval.92 Even when CHR special investigators followed the PNP guidelines and directives, they still failed to obtain documents helpful to the Commission’s independent investigations. In some instances, the CHR Regional Offices have directly written to the Chief PNP or the Human Rights Affairs Office at the National Headquarters of the PNP, but to no avail. On the other hand, the Commission has observed that although documents were available about the other 500 drug-related incidents, the police records were incomplete with some only containing blotters, spot reports, and other initial reports. One reason could be the inconsistent responses of various PNP offices to the Commission’s request for records. For example, in one incident in Quezon province,93 the 88 Available at https://dpl.pnp.gov.ph/images/Downloads/Manuals/FOI-HANDBOOK-JULY-2018.pdf. 89 CHR III 2018-0040, CHR III 2018-0042, CHR III 2018-0054, and CHR III 2018-0069. 90 See for instance, Letter from Quezon PIAS dated 22 July 2021, available in CHR IV-A 2019-0292. 91 CHR VI 2016-0238. 92 See for example, CHR IVA 2020-0449 and CHR IV-A 2020-0473. 93 CHR IV-A 2018-0319. 31