TWO American legislators on Thursday introduced a legislation seeking to restrict the exportation of arms by the United States to the Philippine National Police amid concerns over the growing number of extrajudicial killings under President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.
The Palace scoffed at the bill, however, saying the country has “plenty of arms” available.
In filing the bill, Democrat Senator Ben Cardin and Republican Senator Marco Rubio expressed opposition to America’s planned sale of some 26,000 assault rifles to the PNP and called for a public health approach to problem of illegal drugs.
“President Duterte has unleashed a campaign of extrajudicial killings in his country that has horrified the international community. Mr. Duterte must handle criminal issues through the rule of law and allow drug addicts access to the public health services and treatment they deserve. In the absence of such actions, this legislation is clear in its support for the Filipino people and the importance of our alliance, but also the consequences if Mr. Duterte’s actions continue,” said Cardin, a ranking member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“Senator Rubio and I recognize the Philippines is one of America’s oldest friends and allies, and that is why we are committed to the health and well-being of this relationship, and the fundamental human rights of the Filipino people,” he added.
The legislator also took note of the Philippines’ human rights record, with more than 7,000 drug suspects killed since President Duterte took office.
Authorities dispute the number, saying it is actually 2,692 people who have been killed.
Rubio, meanwhile, stressed the long-standing alliance between the US and the Philippines as reason for America’s concern for the human rights situation in the country.
“America and the Philippines have an important and enduring alliance, which is why the growing number of extrajudicial killings as part of the Philippine National Police’s ‘war on drugs’ is deeply alarming,” said Rubio, chairman of the Foreign Relations subcommittee on human rights and civilian security.
“This is not the right way to conduct an anti-drug campaign, and our legislation reflects our sincere desire to work with the Philippines to support human rights, expose narcotics networks emanating from mainland China and other countries, and use a public health approach to responsibly counter the dangers that drugs pose to our societies,” he said.
The bill would require the US State Department to report on the human rights situation in the Philippines before the US Senate before any assistance could proceed.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo played down the possible repercussions of the legislation.
“I understand from the Defense Secretary, we have plenty of arms. We have plenty,” Panelo said.
He added that the Philippines may also procure arms from other sources to supply the needs of the police.
“The government certainly will buy from sources that will provide us with quality arms. That will always be the basis,” he said.
The bill provides restrictions on certain defense items provided by the United States to the PNP, and provides a case-by-case waiver on the restrictions for President Duterte.
It also authorizes a $50-million fund for the State Department and USAID to promote a public health approach to substance abuse and to support Filipino defenders of human rights, assist victims of human rights violations, respond to human rights emergencies, and promote and encourage the rule of law, including the support for nongovernmental organizations in the Philippines.
