MANILA, Philippines – Senators yesterday asked the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to change the name of its “Team Rubout,” which probes alleged summary executions by law enforcers, to a neutral-sounding name.
During the Senate inquiry into the rising incidents of extrajudicial killings, Sen. Panfilo Lacson asked the CHR to change the name.
“Maybe we could change the name of Team Rubout? It appears to have a pre-judgment,” Lacson said, after a member of the CHR reported its findings on the alleged death of a father and son in the hands of members of the Pasay City police.
CHR-National Capital Region director Gilbert Boiser said the commission will consider Lacson’s request.
CHR special investigator Jun Nalangan testified that the victims, identified as Renato Bertes and his son JP, were tortured before being shot at least three times each inside the police outpost.
Nalangan said based on the investigation, he does not believe the victims tried to snatch the policemen’s firearms as the cops claimed, because Renato and JP already had fractures caused by the beatings they sustained.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile, asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to change the name of its anti-drug operation plan “Double Barrel,” as it gives the impression that the campaign will trigger shootings and lead to “shootings, injury and deaths.”
She said the PNP and other law enforcement agencies should be oriented on apprehension of suspects without loss of lives.
PNP chief Director Ronald dela Rosa earlier said the operation plan is like a double-barreled shotgun where one pull of two triggers will fire one barrel to hit “high-value” targets or suppliers of illegal drugs, and another to neutralize street-level drug pushers.
