November 2008
On October 2 and 3 in Cagayan de Oro, Northern Mindanao, Philippines, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) conducted the third in a series of national summits on extrajudicial killings. The events, which were conducted in partnership with the University of the Philippines, featured presentations by national and international prosecutors, academics, and forensics and legal experts, who discussed a wide range of topics related to investigating and prosecuting suspected extrajudicial killings. The attendees included local prosecutors, attorneys, public defenders and civil rights activists, each of whom plays a role in helping the government successfully build cases against those accused of political violence. Summits such as these allow actors from across the criminal justice spectrum to share best practices and to gain a better understanding of other disciplines. They also provide an opportunity to determine how better communication can improve the outcome of suspected extrajudicial cases.