De Lima warns Manila Mayor Isko Moreno: “Ang pagparada ng suspect ay labag sa batas”

Senator Leila De Lima warned Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno to avoid presenting suspected lawbreakers in the media because it’s against the human rights.

In a statement, De Lima said that she appreciated the efforts of the Manila City Mayor in cleaning up his city against lawbreakers, however, she reminded Moreno that suspects still have their constitutional right to presumption of innocence.

According to her, despite the fact that Moreno allowed suspects to hide their faces, some media personalities and people who are present in every press conference held by the City Government of Manila could still possibly see and identify them.

Kahanga-hanga ang ginagawang mga hakbang ni Mayor Isko sa paglinis ng Maynila, kasama na ang pagsugpo ng krimidalidad. Pinapaalala lang natin sa kanya na ang pagparada ng suspect ay labag sa batas sa karapatang pantao,” she said.

“Nakita po natin ang pagsisikap ni Mayor Isko na patalikurin ang mga nasabing suspek at maitago ang kanilang mukha. Gayumpaman, naiharap pa rin sila sa mga kawani ng media at mga taong naroon,” she added.

However, De Lima praised Moreno for not following the “tokhang-style” which became popular when President Rodrigo Duterte became the chief executive.

De Lima released the said statement after Moreno presented 35 suspects caught in different operations by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The Senator who’s also a critic of the Duterte administration is known for promoting human rights, she’s also the former chairperson of Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

During her term as CHR chair, De Lima urged the PNP to stop presenting the suspects in public.

Meanwhile, the Manila City Legal Office defended Moreno’s action, mentioning that the PNP Reorganization Act of 1998 and DILG Reorganization Act of 1990 where the mayors have “operational supervision and control” of PNP units in their areas.

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