Rep Gary Alejano Defends Mistake in Reacting About PH Worst in 2017 Global Impunity Index

Magdalo Representative Gary C. Alejano defended his mistake when he wrongly reacted on the 2017 Global Impunity Index (GII) of the University of the Americas Puebla (UDLAP) in Mexico and the Center of Studies on Impunity and Justice (CESIJ). In that report, Philippines landed as the country having the worst impunity among 69 countries.



“The Philippines is going through one of its most critical moments, due to the increase of violence related with organized crime and increased terrorist activities from local gangs linked to the Islamic State,” the report said, wherein Philippines scored 75.6 points. As expected, clueless opposition lawmakers blamed President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Thousands of suspects killed in the war on drugs by state agents without going through due process of law and unsolved killings perpetrated by vigilantes are indication enough that impunity exists in the country,” Rep. Gary Alejano said, whose impeachment complaint filed against President Duterte was junked by the House of Representatives.

“I believe that Duterte, by his numerous public pronouncements of condoning, encouraging and rewarding state agents to kill drug suspects, has adopted a policy of killings… With the President promising to pursue the war on drugs with more vigor, let us expect more killings of drug suspects.” The buddy of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV added.

However, it was later learned that the report was based on data from 2012 to 2014, the time of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino. And because Rep. Magdalo is a very close ally with the Liberal Party (LP), he could not blame the former president. Instead, he blamed the media for the misleading report, and continued to slam the Duterte administration.



Meanwhile, Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that it was only under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte that the issues of crime and terrorism have been decisively addressed, and that the report should be taken in its proper context. Nevertheless, he emphasized the need to strengthen the pillars of the criminal justice system.

Contributed by Renato Pasayao