“It codifies murder as ‘neutralization’ which is by nature a violent and illegal policy,” Akbayan said in a statement.
It noted that “Tokhang and Double Barrel do not talk about apprehension and rehabilitation, they just order police forces to neutralize elements suspected of involvement in drugs.”
“Suspects are presumed guilty even before they are given the chance to prove their innocence and this is very dangerous because it is much easier to accuse than to implement due process. Instead of strengthening the law, Tokhang and Double Barrel resort to lawlessness,” the statement said.
Akbayan said that “in the context of corruption charges against law enforcement agencies such as the Department of Justice as in the case of the P50-million Immigration bribery cover-up and the police organization as in the killing of a Korean national right inside Camp Crame, the government agencies enforcing this bloody policy have no credibility.”
It urged the government to instead “respond decisively and convincingly to the reports of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch which points to the culpability of PNP and the Duterte administration for the 7,000+ killings which remain unsolved to this day.”
Akbayan reiterated its position that the issue of illegal drugs is a problem on health and community and cannot be dealt with violently. “Strengthen local governments to institute preventive and rehabilitative programs, not coerce them into meeting dubious quotas to meet the 4-million addicts Duterte is targeting,” it added.
It stressed that “government must uphold the rules, because in the long term, we can only eradicate drugs and criminality when we invest in institutions that implement the law.”
Akbayan also reiterated its call for the Duterte administration” to prioritize the resolution of the cases of extra-judicial killings and stop Tokhang and Double Barrel immediately. They have proven to be corrupt and ineffective strategies against drugs, and let not more blood spill in the streets before this madness kills more people.”
