8
Addressing Inequality During the Pandemic
were involved in incidents that are connected to the government’s campaign against illegal
drugs.14
29
Of the 451 incidents, it is observed in some incidents that multiple law enforcement
operations were alleged to be conducted in a single accident. Buy-bust operations are
the most common across the three regions, followed by warrantless arrests. Other
types of alleged law enforcement operation observed in the three regions are Tokhang,
checkpoints, patrols, detention, and custodial investigations. Furthermore, a number of
police operations were vaguely described in the records as “anti-drug operation” “anticriminality campaign” and “follow-up operation” among others.15
30
In incidents of alleged operations by law enforcement officers, 466 victims allegedly
initiated aggression or resisted arrest according to police records. Of these purported
“nanlaban” victims, only 11 persons survived. Notable is the case of Francisco Maneja Jr.
in NCR. Maneja allegedly fought back against police officers who conducted a buy-bust
operation. Maneja denied that he was selling illegal drugs. He escaped death by pretending
to be dead after he was shot by the police.16
31
The following are patterns of discrepancies in alleged law enforcement operations, based
on the comparison of witness statements and police documents:
a
Witness accounts cast doubt on whether alleged buy-bust operations were actually
conducted.
b
Alleged “nanlaban” victims could not have initiated a shootout.
c
Some victims were already under police custody before they were killed.
d
Unjustified violence was prevalent in the conduct of alleged law enforcement
operations.
e
Planting of evidence was observed by witnesses in a number of cases.
f
Victims killed might not have been the intended target of the alleged operations.17
32
The denial of access to police information is often attributed to Executive Order (E.O.)
No. 02 or “Operationalizing in the Executive Branch of the People’s Constitutional Right
to Information and the State Policies to Full Public Disclosure and Transparency in the
Public Service and Providing Guidelines” which was signed by President Duterte on 23
July 2016. E.O No. 02 mandated government offices under the Executive branch to adopt
their own People’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Manual. It also ordered an inventory of
all the exceptions enshrined in the Constitution, laws and jurisprudence by the Department
of Justice and Office of the Solicitor General.18
14
Commission on Human Rights. (2021, September). REPORT ON INVESTIGATIONS RELATED TO THE ANTIILLEGAL DRUG CAMPAIGN (with Analysis on Regions NCR, III, and IV-A).
15
Commission on Human Rights. (2021, September). REPORT ON INVESTIGATIONS RELATED TO THE ANTIILLEGAL DRUG CAMPAIGN (with Analysis on Regions NCR, III, and IV-A).
16
Commission on Human Rights. (2021, September). REPORT ON INVESTIGATIONS RELATED TO THE ANTIILLEGAL DRUG CAMPAIGN (with Analysis on Regions NCR, III, and IV-A).
17
Commission on Human Rights. (2021, September). REPORT ON INVESTIGATIONS RELATED TO THE ANTIILLEGAL DRUG CAMPAIGN (with Analysis on Regions NCR, III, and IV-A).
18
Commission on Human Rights. (2021, September). REPORT ON INVESTIGATIONS RELATED TO THE ANTIILLEGAL DRUG CAMPAIGN (with Analysis on Regions NCR, III, and IV-A).