Former Human Rights chair urges CHR to accelerate its reports

Former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chairperson Loretta Rosales urged CHR to expedite its reports and investigations of human rights violations under the Duterte administration and submit it to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

“I think the CHR should accelerate the work that it’s doing right now in finishing the report of… [the] 900 cases [they claim they have],” Rosales said in a press conference at the University of Santo Tomas on Oct. 7.

She maintained that the reports and investigations are vital in curtailing the culture of impunity in the country.

“The CHR must accelerate the process of investigation… para ipakita [na] ‘yung culture of impunity na ‘yan, hindi pwede ‘yan. Then mobilize the rest of the public,” Rosales said.

The former CHR chair advised the constitutional body to submit the cases to the United Nations Human Rights Council, an intergovernmental body tasked to promote and protect human rights around the world.

“Even if you just have 200 cases and the rest is being processed, ilabas na ninyo. The important thing is [to] focus on the cases that you can finish, bring it out and report it… Tapos bring it to the Filipino people and discuss it with them,” she said.

Although foreign nations and institutions should respect the Philippine government’s sovereignty in solving its problems in relation to the drug war, Rosales emphasized that the Philippines should still respect the agreements and requirements of being a member of the United Nations.

“We have a responsibility to the United Nations. We are a party to eight of the nine [core] international [human rights] treaties. It is our responsibility and obligation to abide by those treaties,” Rosales said.

Rosales added that the government should fulfill, not ignore, the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review, which oversees and reviews all human rights records of every United Nations member state.

The CHR was created under the 1987 constitution and is mandated to investigate civil and political rights violations committed by the government as well as protect and promote human rights.

Rosales served as CHR chairperson from 2010 to 2015.