UN endorses technical aid for Philippine rights situation

MANILA, Philippines — The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) adopted on Wednesday a resolution on technical assistance and capacity building to improve the human rights situation in the Philippines.

It requested the Office of the High Commissioner to provide support for the Philippines in its continued fulfillment of its international human rights obligations and commitments.

These include the proposed United Nations joint program on human rights to provide technical assistance and capacity-building for domestic investigative and accountability measures; data gathering on alleged police violations; civic space and engagement with civil society and the Commission on Human Rights; national mechanism for reporting and follow-up; counterterrorism legislation, and human rights-based approaches to drug control.

The Council urged member states, relevant United Nations agencies and other stakeholders to encourage and support technical cooperation between the Philippine government and the Office of the High Commissioner with a view to improving the situation of human rights in the country in response to the government’s requests for technical assistance and capacity-building.

In June, the Philippines came under scrutiny when the UN Human Rights Council convened in Geneva. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet gave the stark findings of her office’s report on the Philippines, which the council requested last year.

She described widespread abuses against drug suspects, political activists, indigenous peoples and journalists.

Welcome development

For a change, Malacañang welcomed yesterday the UNHCR’s resolution, which seeks to provide technical assistance to the country amid alleged extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses happening under the Duterte administration.

“Well, to begin with, we are thankful for the UN Human Rights Council,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said in a virtual press briefing. “The latest resolution of the UN Human Rights Council, providing us technical assistance is very much appreciated.”

The UN Human Rights body seemed to have realized that it is better to assist the Philippines rather than attack the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs, he said.

“Their resolution is right, and we thank them because that shows that the UN Human Rights Council still trusts the institutions that would hold accountable those who violate human rights among of people,” Roque said in Filipino.

He said the Philippines is committed to “fully cooperate” with the UN body in monitoring human rights in the country.

Malacañang said the 47-member intergovernmental body adopted unanimously a decision that recognizes the Philippines’ domestic accountability institutions to address cases of human rights violations alleged by activists and interest groups.

It added that the UNHCR acknowledged the Philippines’ strong and open engagement with the UN, and promoted the provision of technical assistance from UN agencies and international partners in work areas on rule of law, justice, law enforcement and accountability processes, at the invitation of the government and in accordance with national priorities.

The UN joint program on human rights, currently being finalized between the government and the UN Resident Coordinator, will anchor the Philippines’ engagement with the UN on human rights in the next four years, the Palace said.

The decision also takes due note of the review process launched by the Philippine government, led by the Department of Justice, to review the actions taken on reported deaths arising from legitimate police operations to carry out the anti-illegal drug campaign, it added.

Forty states put their names behind the resolution, as its co-sponsors: the Philippines, Iceland, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and Turkey. More countries are expected to register as co-sponsors until Oct. 21 this year. – Christina Mendez, Emmanuel Tupas, Elizabeth Marcelo