MOSCOW, December 4 (Sputnik) — Unaccountability allows police officers in the Philippines to continue using torture for extortion and the extraction of confessions, Amnesty International said Thursday.
"The single reason that #torture persists in #Philippines is because they get away with it." Sec Gen @SalilShetty pic.twitter.com/akjgpMTMaI
— Amnesty Philippines (@amnestyph) 4 декабря 2014
"A pervasive culture of impunity is allowing torture by police to go unchecked in the Philippines," Amnesty International said in a statement published on its website.
"Too many police officers in the Philippines are all gun and no badge — abusing their power while making a mockery of their duty to protect and serve the people. The government has the legislation in place, now it needs to enforce it or risk the police placing themselves above the law," Salil Shetty, Amnesty International's Secretary General, was quoted as saying in the statement.
The watchdog noted that not one police officer has been held to account in the Philippines since an Anti-Torture Act was adopted in the country five years ago.
"5 yrs after Anti Torture Act was passed, no one has still been convicted." — SecGen @SalilShetty at #AboveTheLaw press launch. #StopTorture
— Amnesty Philippines (@amnestyph) 4 декабря 2014
Amnesty International's statement comes alongside a report entitled "Above the Law: Police Torture in the Philippines" published on Thursday. The 120-page report shows the methods and cases of torture in the Philippines. It also describes the ill-treatment endured by 21 children.
"The Philippines is doing itself a disservice – the country has an exemplary record when it comes to signing up to human rights treaties, but without the robust prosecution of torturers these human rights commitments risk becoming empty promises," Shetty added.
Amnesty International urged that a "concerted effort" be made to eliminate torture in the country and ease the procedures for reporting instances of torture to the authorities.
