Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate on Friday denounced the spate of extrajudicial killings during the first 100 days of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a statement, Zarate said while the campaign against drugs is a welcome development, the summary killings of drug suspects by vigilante groups also deserved condemnation.

He said these killings should be investigated before they undermine the administration’s bloody crackdown on drugs.

“The relentless campaign, particularly against illegal drugs, is a welcome action considering the magnitude of this public menace, which apparently was taken for granted, if not neglected, by the previous administration. However, the now unabated summary killings allegedly perpetrated by rogue police officers, vigilantes and by members of crime syndicates must also be denounced and should be thoroughly investigated as these may in the end undermine the aggressive campaign being waged by the present administration,” Zarate said.

“There must be no compromise with the already established rules of engagements, due process of law and human rights of alleged suspects,” he added.

Zarate, however, lauded the administration for its independent foreign policy to break away from the United States.

President Duterte has hinted at scrapping the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement to boot out rotational US forces in the Philippines, and has said this year’s joint war games with the US would be the last.

“Giving life, spirit and credence to the Constitutional edict of pursuing an independent foreign policy, with the interest of the Filipino people and the nation as the primordial considerations. For the longest time, the Philippines has always been perceived, nay, even treated as a surrogate or vassal state and not as an ally of the US, especially in terms of its foreign policy directions,” Zarate said.

“That our past leaders have allowed such treatment is our country’s grave misfortune. But, this major foreign policy tectonic shift will restore the rightful equal place of the Philippines in the community of nations,” he added.

Zarate also commended the administration’s drive to focus on the root causes of the armed conflict in its peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front.

“The focus on addressing the historical and root causes of the armed conflict in the country is a welcome major change in the peace policy of the present administration. It is a departure from the purely capitulation and surrender mindset of the previous administrations,” Zarate said.

“Now is the opportune time to talk peace since there is a deep reserve of goodwill, seriousness and sincerity from both the government and the revolutionary groups,” he added.

Zarate, however, noted the persistent problems of traffic brought about by the “unbridled” importation and registration of cars that choke the streets, as well as the continuing neoliberal policy on privatization, commercialization and deregulation retained by the Duterte administration.

He urged the administration to fix the mass public transport system, particularly the Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit systems. RAM/rga

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