President Rdorigo Duterte Simeon Celi, Jr., Malacanang Photo

MANILA - The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Tuesday refuted Communications Secretary Martin Andanar's claims that it cleared the president of alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings and the Davao Death Squad.

Its resolution "In re: Extra-Judicial Killings Attributed or Attributable to the so-called Davao Death Squad," issued on June 28, 2012 did not clear former mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte of alleged involvement in kill missions, the CHR said in a statement.

The 2012 resolution stated that the "continuing pattern of killings" and lack of "meaningful investigation of such incidents" can be seen as tolerance of the executions, the CHR said. This is why it recommended an investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman to establish Duterte's possible administrative and criminal liability "for his inaction in the face of evidence of numerous killings committed in Davao City."

"Extrajudicial killings may be committed not only by direct participation but also as a result of the failure of government to investigate and hold people to account," the CHR said.

CHR is now pursuing extrajudicial killing cases "as leads arise," including the statements of retired SPO3 Arthur Lascañas' tagging Duterte as the brains behind the supposed Davao Death Squad.

In a press briefing on Monday, Andanar claimed that allegations regarding the existence of a Davao-based team of assassins that supposedly took orders from Duterte were part of a demolition job by "sectors affected by reforms initiated by the Duterte administration."

He also said that the CHR, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Senate Committee on Justice "already cleared the President of extrajudicial killing and his involvement in the Davao Death Squad."