Human Rights Chief Backs Probe Body
Komfie Manalo - All Headline News Foreign Correspondent Manila, Philippines (AHN) - Commission on Human Rights chairperson Purificacion Quisumbing on Monday asked the public to give the Melo Commission a chance to prove itself worthy as an independent body looking into the killings of leftist activists and journalists. Quisumbing said the commission, so named after its chairperson, retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Melo, must be given the benefit of the doubt as it looks into the alleged extra-judicial killings of unarmed militants and journalists. However, Quisumbing, nonetheless acknowledged that the inclusion of Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuno and National Bureau of Investigation Director Nestor Mantaring might have compromised the perception of the body as an institution independent of the administration. "There are two ways in looking at it. Since they're with the government they can facilitate the data gathering. On the other hand, they can be biased," Quisumbing said in an interview. "This is the reason why we have to closely take a look at what the Melo Commission does," she added.
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