Commission on Human Rights to summon former Davao City police executives

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) will summon the former chiefs of the different police precincts in this city as it resumes its probe on the summary executions supposedly perpetrated by the so-called Davao Death Squad on May 21-22.

CHR-Southern Mindanao director Alberto Sipaco said the former police precinct chiefs are expected to shed light on the summary killings that took place in their areas of responsibility during their tenure.

Sipaco said there were those who have not been called yet even if the CHR led by its chairman, Leila de Lima, has already held two successive public inquiries into the summary killings here.

“I do not know who else will be summoned. But I understand it will be in a smaller venue compared to the two previous hearings,” he said.

Current regional and city police officials were among those called to testify during the initial CHR hearing last March 30 to April 1 at the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

Twenty-seven of the city’s over 180 barangay heads were summoned during the second hearing last April 17 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel.

“We also expect those who were summoned but failed to attend the first and second public hearings will already make themselves available when the commission en banc resumes its hearing on May 21-22,” Sipaco said.