Philippine government's negative response to key recommendations of third UPR

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC STATEMENT
AI Index: ASA 35/7154/2017
22 September 2017
Amnesty International condemns Philippines' rejection of extrajudicial executions
Human Rights Council adopts Universal Periodic Review outcome on the Philippines

Amnesty International condemns the Philippine government's negative response to key recommendations it received during the country's third UPR. The government did not accept any of the 44 recommendations related to extrajudicial executions, none of the 23 recommendations calling for the Philippines to refrain from reinstating the death penalty, and none of the 13 recommendations to protect human rights defenders and journalists.
The ongoing assault on human rights, underscored by President Duterte's so-called 'war on drugs' and his violent rhetoric, raises serious doubts over the government's commitment to the protection of human rights and in particular its disregard for the right to life. It is regrettable that the Philippine government used the UPR as a platform to justify its lethal anti-drug policies, which overwhelmingly targets poor and marginalised communities, and to hide the magnitude of the number of people killed. This number has now reached many thousands, up to 12,000 according to some estimates, since President Duterte took office on 30 June 2016.
Amnesty International also finds deeply troubling the reports of lethal attacks, carried out on peace activists, human rights defenders, and journalists in the Philippines. The organisation condemns President Duterte's numerous derogatory statements and threats against human rights defenders, as well as the National Commission on Human Rights and the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. The President's statements have created an increasingly hostile environment for human rights defenders in the country.
In light of the government's apparent unwillingness to conduct investigations into cases of extrajudicial executions, Amnesty International urges the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent commission of investigation into such cases.

Background
The UN Human Rights Council adopted the outcome of the Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines on 22 September 2017 during its 36th session. Prior to the adoption of the report of the review the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Amnesty International delivered a joint oral statement. Amnesty International also contributed to the information basis of the review through its submission on the Philippines: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa35/5445/2016/en/