Phl team off to Geneva for review of country's human rights records

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday the Philippine delegation was scheduled to leave for Geneva, Switzerland over the weekend for the review of the Philippines’ human rights records.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima will lead the delegation composed of representatives from various government agencies. Secretary De Lima is a human rights advocate and former chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a mechanism by which human rights records of member countries of the United Nations is evaluated by member states to further promote and protect human rights.

The Philippines underwent the first cycle of the UPR in 2008.

“Foremost among the concerns that the Philippine delegation will address at the Human Rights Council are allegations of extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and torture. The enhancement of the domestic, legal and institutional capacities on these issues is one of the government’s priorities,” the DFA said.

It said the Philippines continues to undertake concrete measures in addressing these issues such as coordination between the state’s investigative, prosecutorial, and security agencies with civil society organizations. 

The Supreme Court has also directed all lower courts to prioritize the resolution of pending cases of human rights violations. 

The delegation will also highlight the strong human rights platform as well as progress and achievements of President Aquino, two years into his six-year administration.

The DFA said the President has firmly committed the promotion and protection of human rights as a pillar of his administration, while respecting the rule of law, justice and due process, and with continuing engagement of civil society and all stakeholders.

Philippine human rights activists arrived in Geneva in time for the second cycle of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council UPR and review of the state of human rights in the Philippines to dispute the Aquino administration’s claims.

The UPR will review the national report of the Philippine government and measure it against its pledges and commitments during the 1st cycle of the UPR and when it applied for membership in the UN Human Rights Council.

Fifteen civil society groups belonging to the Philippine UPR Watch are represented by leaders and members of mass organizations in the Philippines while Filipino expatriates came from the United Kingdom, United States and the Netherlands from the International Committee on the Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines.

The Philippine UPR Watch has continued to vigorously lobby with 71 countries that have signed up to question the Philippine government with its compliance to implement the recommendations by 14 countries during the first cycle of the UPR in 2008.

The group has also been raising the government’s other unfulfilled commitments and ignored recommendations, particularly put forward by the former UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston.

The Philippine UPR Watch said the various missions that the group spoke with have expressed keen interest and serious concern on the continuous human rights violations committed by state security forces and its paramilitary groups, including extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, torture, intense militarization in farmer and indigenous communities to pave way for mining operations, migrant and children’s rights and the curtailment of other civil and political rights that are perpetrated alongside violations of economic, social and cultural rights.

The delegation has received a receptive audience among various foreign missions on their visit to the UN Human Rights Council 13th session of the UPR in Switzerland.

The Philippine UPR Watch, composed of 15 human rights and peace groups and church and mass organizations from the Philippines and abroad, has been received positively by a diverse list of foreign dignitaries who have commonly expressed their keen interest in knowing more about the real state of human rights in the Philippines.

The Philippine UPR Watch said a significant number of foreign missions that have candidly discussed issues and questions with the various teams of the delegation have signified their concern about the compliance of the Philippine government with its commitment to the recommendations on the first cycle of UPR in 2008 as well as other undertakings it should fulfill.

Seventy-one countries have listed up to make statements and recommendations and ask questions to the Philippine government on a wide array of outstanding human rights issues when the latter comes under scrutiny on Tuesday.

The foreign missions have assured the delegation that they will seriously consider all the concerns raised by the Philippine UPR Watch and counterpost these with the official national report of the Philippine government.