Impunity
Torture or ill-treatment by law enforcement bodies has been reported in more than 140 countries since 1997. Law enforcement agencies are responsible for upholding the law and protecting the rights of all members of society. However, they are by far the most common state agents of torture. Many of the victims come into contact with the law because they are suspected of committing a crime; others are members of groups targeted by prejudiced security forces. Often those most at risk of abuse are members of racial or ethnic minorities. In most countries, the number of prosecution for these brutalities represent only a tiny fraction of the complaints made; convictions are rarer still. In the Philippines, despite of the safeguards in the constitution, the practice of torture and ill-treatment are still continued. Despite of the safeguards against violence and unnecessary force, authorities still use such techniques to assert authority, instill fear, inflict immediate punishment, disorient and coerce. The air of impunity for torturers in endemic: evidences are covered up, victims are denied access to remedies, investigations are ineffective, complicity of fellow officers are rampant, the legal framework for punishing torture is inadequte, judicial rulings are flouted, impunity is sometimes enshrined in law and there are no sure mechanisms to ensure accountability.
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