MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Philippines
13.9.2016 - (2016/2880(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure
Cristian Dan Preda, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Jarosław Wałęsa, Bogdan Brunon Wenta, Ivan Štefanec, Eduard Kukan, Thomas Mann, Marijana Petir, Therese Comodini Cachia, Pavel Svoboda, Patricija Šulin, Roberta Metsola, Tunne Kelam, Romana Tomc, Milan Zver, Claude Rolin, Sven Schulze, Jaromír Štětina, Giovanni La Via, József Nagy, David McAllister, Michaela Šojdrová, Tomáš Zdechovský, Luděk Niedermayer, Ramona Nicole Mănescu, Lefteris Christoforou, Adam Szejnfeld, Lorenzo Cesa, Csaba Sógor, Dubravka Šuica, Elisabetta Gardini, Anna Záborská, Eva Paunova, Francisco José Millán Mon, Seán Kelly, Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso on behalf of the PPE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0990/2016
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its previous resolutions on the Philippines,
- having regard to the diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the EU (at the time the European Economic Community (EEC)) established on 12 May 1964 with the appointment of the Philippines Ambassador to the EEC,
- having regard to the Philippines’ status as a founding member of ASEAN following the signature of the Bangkok Declaration on 8 August 1967,
- having regard to the Statement by the United Nations Office on drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director on the situation in the Philippines of 3 August 2016;
- having regard to the Statement by the Spokesperson of the European External Action Service of 3 September 2016 on the attack in Davao, Philippines,
- having regard to the Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the Philippines of 4 September 2016,
- having regard to the Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attack in the Philippines of 4 September 2016,
- having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966,
- having regard to Rule 135 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas drug abuse and drug trafficking are a serious problem in the Philippines; whereas in 2015, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the lead counter narcotics enforcement agency in the country, reported that 8,629 villages or barangays (approximately 20 percent of the country’s villages) reported drug-related crimes;
B. whereas during his election campaign and first days in office, President Duterte of the Philippines repeatedly urged law enforcement agencies and the public to kill people suspected of trafficking drugs who don’t surrender, as well as people who use drugs;
C. whereas figures released by the Philippine National Police show that from 1 July to 4 September 2016, police have killed an estimated 1011 suspected "drug pushers and users" and Police statistics attribute another 1067 killings of alleged drug dealers and users in the past two months to unknown gunmen;
D. whereas on 8 June 2016 the United Nations Secretary-General Mr Ban-Ki moon unequivocally condemned President Duterte apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killing, which is illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms;
E. whereas on 18 August 2016 the UN Special Rapporteur on summary executions, Ms Callamard and the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Mr Pūras urged the Government of the Philippines to put an end to the current wave of extrajudicial executions and killings in the context of an intensified anti-crime and anti-drug campaign targeting drug dealers and users;
F. whereas on 2 September 2016 a bomb exploded at a night market in the city of Davao killing 14 people and injuring dozens of other people; whereas President Duterte described the attack as an act of terrorism;
G. whereas the Philippines will chair ASEAN in 2017, and President Dutarte has announced that “during the Philippines’ chairmanship, we will highlight ASEAN as a model of regionalism and a global player, with the interest of the people at its core”;
1. Strongly condemns drug trafficking and drug abuse in the Philippines; stresses that illegal drugs are a threat to Filipino youth and one of the most serious problems in society;
2. Urges the Government of the Philippines to put an end to the current wave of extrajudicial executions and killings in the context of an intensified anti-crime and anti-drug campaign targeting drug dealers and users;
3. Stresses that responses to the illicit drug trade must be carried out in full compliance with national and international obligations; underlines that incentives to violence such as bounties or the promise of impunity also seriously contravene the rule of law;
4. Calls for prompt and thorough investigations of all extrajudicial executions and killings;
5. Notes that UNODC stands ready to further engage with the Philippines to bring drug traffickers to justice with the appropriate legal safeguards in line with international standards and norms;
6. Strongly condemns the attack at a night market in the city of Davao on 2 September 2016; stresses that those responsible for these killings should be held accountable; urges all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of the Philippines and all other relevant authorities in this regard;
7. Welcomes the Philippines’ acceptance of the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2017, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the association;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the Government and Parliament of the Republic of the Philippines.