‘No intrusion of sovereignty in human rights report’

Reports of international organizations on the country’s human rights situation should not be interpreted by the Philippine government as an intrusion into its sovereignty, an official of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said yesterday.

CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia emphasized “that one of the three pillars of the United Nations is human rights and the rule of law” and that “any country can look at the human rights situation of other countries or their neighbors.”

“It is constructive criticism. It does not necessarily mean that they are intruding on our sovereignty but rather, encourage us to revisit our policies,” De Guia said, noting that the Philippines also issues statements on matters involving other countries, such as the tension in North Korea.

De Guia was reacting to the recent European Union (EU) Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World, which noted that the human rights situation in the Philippines has considerably worsened following the implementation of the Duterte government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

Malacañang dismissed the report and stressed that the concerns raised by EU have already been addressed.

Duterte, for his part, blasted international critics and reiterated his decision not to accept foreign aid, especially from the EU.

But according to De Guia, other countries also receive reports on their human rights situation.

“No country has perfect human rights situation… It is constructive criticism (that provides us) with opportunities for improvement or validation of what we are doing,” she said.

The CHR official said the commission shares the sentiments of the international community on the issue of supposed extrajudicial killings in connection with the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

But she said they also take note of positive developments in terms of ensuring that all Filipinos have access to their right to health and education, apparently referring to measures that aim to provide free college education and improve universal healthcare in the country.

Meanwhile, the National Federation of Peasant Women (Amihan) has joined the call of other militant sectors for the government to “end the spate of killings and human rights abuses against farmers perpetrated by military and paramilitary troops.”

“Military encampment in schools, day care centers, barangay halls and other public places in the community disrupts farming and other livelihood activities. Some farmers are afraid to go to their fields for fear of being accused as members of NPA (New People’s Army),” Amihan chairperson Zen Soriano said in a statement.