MANILA – Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairman Jose Luis “Chito” Gascon is asking Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa to release the report of regional police chiefs that there were no secret jail cells in other police stations.
Last week, the CHR, in a surprise inspection, discovered 12 people detained in secret locked up cells inside the Manila Police District Station 1 in Tondo, Manila.
“Dela Rosa said he has already conducted the audit and there are no other secret detention cells other than this one. I think it’s about time for us up the ante and maybe ask the police director general to release that report,” Gascon said Friday during the drug policy forum held at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City.
Gascon also called for an independent joint review to be conducted by the CHR with non-governmental organizations.
“Perhaps, a joint review of that audit of the locked up cells should be undertaken by the CHR with interested NGOs,” he said.
He also suggested inviting the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT) to shed more light on the issue. The UN subcommittee had made a visit of jails and prisons in the country last 2015.
Dela Rosa had told reporters on Thursday that there were no other secret jails in other police stations as reported to him by PNP regional chiefs.
