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Manila: The European Union has extended financial assistance and judicial expertise to help Philippine courts convict political killers, an envoy said.
The Philippine government and EU have jointly established the EU Justice Assistance Mission, an 18-month program, to strengthen the country's criminal justice institutions, the civil society, the Commission on Human Rights, and the Office of the Ombudsman, said Alistair Macdonald, head of the European Commission.
Substantial funding
"We will provide technical assistance in conducting investigation, forensics, and training for the judiciary," said Macdonald.
The project will receive "grand and substantial funding" from EU, Macdonald added, but did not give details.
Details of the programme will be set by July and they will be implemented on the ground some time September or October, Macdonald said.
No convictions
"President Gloria Arroyo said that extrajudicial killings have declined significantly. I think she is correct. Prosecution of cases are happening but still we are not aware of any convictions," Macdonald said.
UN special rapporteur Philip Alston had blamed the government's counterinsurgency campaign as one of the causes of political killings in the Philippines.
About 900 people, mostly leftists, journalists, and environmentalists, have been murdered since Arroyo became president in 2001.
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