Pubdate: Sat, 27 Aug 2016
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2016
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Author: Pia Lee-Brago, With Christina Mendez

PHL, US DISCUSS DRUG-RELATED KILLINGS

The United States has not only made clear its concerns over 
extrajudicial killings in the Philippines but is discussing them 
"privately" with the Duterte administration, the US State Department said.

"I would say that we continue to engage with the government of the 
Philippines on our concerns privately, as well as from the podium, 
and raise those. It's hard for me to characterize how seriously they 
take that. We continue to raise it," State Department spokeswoman 
Elizabeth Trudeau said in a press briefing when asked about President 
Duterte's attacks against Sen. Leila de Lima in the same week 
Washington expressed concerns over drug-related killings in the Philippines.

The President accused De Lima of being in the center of a drug matrix 
at the national penitentiary when she was justice chief during the 
previous administration.

The US and the Philippines have a "frank and open enough relationship 
that we can have those conversations," she said, referring to US 
admonition to the Duterte administration on human rights.

"As we've said both publicly and as we've engaged with our very good 
partners, the Philippines, we've spoken about these reports of 
extrajudicial killings," she added.

Malacanang, meanwhile, said relations between the Philippines and the 
US remain strong and solid despite Duterte's taking offense at the 
State Department's voicing concerns over deaths and human rights 
abuses in his antidrug campaign.

"We just like to say that we're open to the opinions and positions of 
certain governments. But, we'd like to just say, we'd also like to 
reiterate that the relationship between the US and the Philippines 
remains basically solid and we do have a good relationship," 
presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said.

Trudeau earlier said her country is "deeply concerned" about the 
reports of extrajudicial killings "by or at the behest of government 
authorities of individuals who are suspected to have been in drug 
activity in the Philippines." She added, "we believe in universal 
human rights."

"And we believe that these support long-term security, which is the 
goal not only for the United States, but also for the Philippines," she said.

In response, Duterte said the US should not meddle in Philippine 
affairs, noting it has not solved the killings of blacks by 
policemen. The President had also slammed UN special rapporteurs on 
summary executions and the right to health, Agnes Callamard and 
Dainius Puras for their statement against the rising number of deaths 
from Duterte's war on drugs.

Meanwhile, Abella revealed the President is still scouting for a 
candidate to be next Philippine ambassador to the US.

The President is also looking for a defense secretary after former 
congressman Gilbert Teodoro again declined the post.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom