‘Respect Clooney case vs Phl’

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has called on the public to respect the integrity of the process involving the case filed by international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin-Clooney against the Philippine government.

“I just wanted to stress the nature of this process because some groups are trying to paint a political color to it,” CHR spokesman Marc Cebreros said in a text message to The STAR.

“We should all respect and uphold the integrity of the process,” he said.

Earlier reports said Clooney filed a case before the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD), a body under the UN Commission on Human Rights.

The case was reportedly filed over alleged violations committed by the Aquino administration against former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“The criminal prosecutions against Mrs. Arroyo are politically motivated and persecutory in nature,” the British lawyer and her associate Katherine O’Byrne were quoted as saying.

“The presumption of innocence was violated when public officials made inappropriate comments suggesting Mrs. Arroyo guilty while she was on trial,” the lawyers said. – Janvic Mateo, Pia Lee-Brago, Jose Rodel Clapano