Amnesty: Meet Davao attack with justice, not more rights woes

MANILA, Philippines — Rights organization Amnesty in the Philippines on Saturday warned against more violations on human rights following the attack in Davao City which killed at least 14 people.

In a statement, Amnesty said the "brutal and horrific" act against civilians should be met with justice, but urged the government not to resort to arbitrary arrests and unlawful killings.

The group said the government should protect its population, and unwarranted violence will "will only play into the hands of those who seek an ever-widening cycle of violence and abuse."

"The government should respect this right by ordering an independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigation, leading to fair trials of suspected perpetrators," Champa Patel, Amnesty International’s Senior Research Adviser for South East Asia and the Pacific.

"However, the callous disregard shown by the attackers for people’s right to life must not be met by government action that itself disregards human rights," Patel added.

Extremist organization Abu Sayyaf on Saturday claimed the explosion that ripped through a night market in Davao City, the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte, on Friday night.

Duterte responded by declaring a nationwide "state of lawlessness" which extends the authority of the police and military amid security threats.

Saying the declaration is not akin to martial law declared by President Ferdinand Marcos in the 1970s, Duterte said security forces will only be allowed to do searches during an "extraordinary time."

"We're trying to cope up with a crisis now. There is a crisis in this country involving drugs, extrajudicial killings and there seems to be an environment of lawless violence," Duterte said, whose campaign platform was to eliminate criminality and drugs in the Philipppines.

Responding to international criticisms amid killings of drug suspects, d, and is only concerned about bringing security. — Camille Diola