By RATZIEL SAN JUAN Altermidya MANILA — The Philippine UPR Watch, a delegation of human rights defenders and advocates participating in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, frowned upon the Philippine government’s response to the UPR recommendations. The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has adopted the UPR outcome of the Philippines. Out of 289…
“Even though we have a new administration, it’s just superficial. The system and the domestic mechanisms remain the same – still detrimental to the rights of the unionists and union organizers.”
“At this stage, discontinuing the only scheduled debate on the country at the HRC will risk acquiescing (to) ongoing abuses and violations and will abandon tens of thousands of victims who deserve justice and accountability.”
“Environmental rights are of utmost importance in the face of the climate crisis.”
In her oral update, Bachelet urged political aspirants on all sides to “set aside the ugly rhetoric against human rights defenders, attack (on) independent media, or (in condoning) extra-judicial killings and other violations and abuses.”
“Activists have been killed over the last year, both by the security forces and by unknown individuals. In many instances, activists were killed after being red-tagged. In virtually none of the cases has anyone been held accountable for the killings.”
“It is very clear that no amount of technical assistance or capacity building will end the killings as the President and top government officials continue to incite murder and violence as official policy.”
But over the years, Duterte has attacked human rights advocacy groups as “enemies of the state,” also church leaders, priests, pastors and nuns. He even berated the Commission on Human Rights (a constitutional body) for criticizing certain policies or pronouncements of his government. He talked (confusedly or maliciously) of “detractors pass(ing) themselves off as human rights advocates while preying on the most vulnerable humans: even using children as soldiers or human shields in [armed] encounters.”
“Duterte would rather discredit human rights defenders and institutions than acknowledge that there are extrajudicial killings and other violations in the Philippines. He continues to deny what the whole world has already come to recognize.”
UN Special Rapporteur for extra-legal killings Agnes Callamard, speaking for several other special rapporteurs at another activity, recommended among others twin actions: for the Council to establish an on-the-ground international investigation into alleged HRVs in the Philippines, while continuing to monitor and report on the prevailing conditions; and for its member-states to “apply sanctions against Philippine government officials who [may be found] to have committed, have initiated or failed to investigate or prevent HRVs, including arbitrary killings.”
They urged the Philippine authorities “to carry out an immediate, thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation into Alvarez’s murder, to identify all those responsible, bring them before an independent tribunal, and sanction them as provided by the law.”