Tone down reports? How about asking gov't to stop EJKs instead, UN expert says

MANILA, Philippines — United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Agnes Callamard told Tourism department chief Corazon Wanda Teo to appeal to the government and the police to stop extrajudicial killings instead of asking the media to tone down reports on them.

Callamard took to Twitter to react to Teo’s statement asking the media and Vice President Leni Robredo to tone down reports on killings to boost tourism.

“#Philippines Tourism Chief asks Media to tone down #EJK report! She should ask Gov & Police to #StopEJK,” Callamard wrote on her Twitter account.

On Wednesday, Teo said the Philippines is becoming an alternate destination to Asia and Europe but negative reports such as those on the killings make it harder for her agency to entice visitors.

Teo also said Robredo’s latest statement to a UN forum criticizing drug war contributes to the setback of Philippine tourism. She said potential tourists often question the country’s safety.

The tourism head sought the media’s help to promote the country as an attraction. She, however, said there are still several tourists coming in the country despite the negative reports.

The Duterte administration continued its war on drugs after the president halted it, following the death of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo. Jee was discovered to have been killed inside Philippine National Police headquarters Camp Crame by cops who used the anti-narcotics campaign for illegal activities and extortion.

President Rodrigo Duterte decided to resume the crackdown against illegal drugs and tapped the PNP to rejoin the operations.