No state-sponsored killings-Senate report

MANILA, Philippines–There is no proof that there were state-sponsored killings in the Philippines, this is the conclusion of the joint committee report which earlier conducted committee hearings on the alleged Extra Judicial Killings.

The report also said the committees did not find sufficient evidence that Davao Death Squad exist.

The eleven senators who signed the joint committee report include:

1. Senator Richard Gordon, chair of the justice committee
2. Senator Panfilo Lacson, chair of the public order committee
3. Senator Gringo Honasan
4. Senator Loren Legarda
5. Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri
6. Senator Nancy Binay
7. Senator Manny Pacquiao
8. Senator Francis Pangilinan
9. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano
10. Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, ex officio member

11. Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon, ex officio member.

However, Five members of the committee did not sign the report which include Senators Joseph Victor Ejercity; Grace poe, Leila de Lima, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto.

Out of the eleven, three signed with reservations or expressed manifestations to interpellate and introduce amendments during the deliberations.

The report is the product of the Senate inquiry by the Senate committee on justice and human rights that investigated alleged extrajudicial killings in the country, along with the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs.

Pangilinan, in signing the report, said that “I dissent in part and I concur in part.

“I will file a separate opinion. More hearings necessary for a definitive finding to be established,” he said in his note.

Drilon signed “with reservations” and expressed intention to interpellate when the report is reported out to the plenary.

Cayetano for his part signed the report but placed reservations as he expressed intention to place an amendment.

The report said, “There was no proof that there is state-sponsored policy to commit killings to eradicate illegal drugs in the country.”

It however took note of “the many thousands of killings with impunity taking place every year in the last two decades at least.”