Duterte wants Commission on Human Rights abolished

July 25, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte has said the Commission on Human Rights is better abolished. But CHR Chairman Chito Gascon said his office has a constitutional mandate and will continue its responsibilities of fact-finding and documenting of human rights violations as well as inform the public about the importance of human rights in society. Duterte, in a media interview after his second State of the Nation Address on Monday, said he would not allow the CHR to investigate the police and the military who have been following his orders to address illegal drugs and other crimes. "When the time comes, the CHR...you are better abolished. I will not allow my men to go there to be investigated. Remember this. Human Rights Commission, you address your request through me because the Armed Forces is under me and the police is under me," he said. The CHR has been investigating cases involving alleged summary killings of drug suspects amid the administration's war against illegal drugs. In a text message to Daily Manila Shimbun, Gascon said, "any discussion to abolish CHR or any other institution for that matter can be taken in the proposed constitutional-reform process... in other words, we shall cross the bridge when we get there. I remain hopeful human rights would still be affirmed." The creation of the CHR is provided in the 1987 Constitution, particularly Sections 17 and 18, Article 13. Gascon said the president's statements made at his second SONA and after "should remove any doubt regarding the attitude his administration will take towards respecting the human rights guarantees enshrined in the Constitution. "The actions during the first year of his Presidency coupled with his words said over the same period exhibits an utter disregard for due process, equal protection, and other civil liberties. This has encouraged the deepening of impunity," he said. "Particularly because he encourages the security forces to act beyond established operations protocols without any attendant safeguards or effective accountability mechanisms to guard against abuse," he said. Gascon said Duterte should be reminded targeting the destruction of civilian structures such as schools are prohibited by the universally accepted standards of international humanitarian law. The CHR chief was referring to Duterte's threat to order the military to bomb the lumad schools in Mindanao, which he claimed are being used by the communist rebels to indoctrinate the students. "The CHR asks the public to continue to remain steadfast in advancing human rights," Gascon said. Duterte also said the Office of the Ombudsman should refrain from citing government security forces in contempt. "Because I have the authority to give the final say whether they will attend or not (when called in an investigation)," he said. He warned that the Ombudsman should not threaten him because he would face them. He said the CHR should first investigate the ambush by the New People's Army against the Presidential Security Group recently in North Cotabato where at least five were hurt. "If you don't have any report on that, don't bother us. I will throw it in your face. Better do an equal job here," he said. "It does not say that your investigations will be solely focused on government men although the Ombudsman is to check on government. But if you fail to address also the atrocities of the other side, so that you can get the truth and the whole story, then do not investigate my army and police," he added. (Celerina Monte/DMS)