A.O. CREATES NEW ‘SUPER BODY’ FOR HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has created a new “super body” to enhance the country’s human rights protection, including situations in cases involving drug control and counter-terrorism.
Administrative Order (AO) No. 22, issued through Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, created the Special Committee on Human Rights coordination to sustain the government’s initiatives with the United Nations for the Joint Program (UNJP) on Human Rights, on law enforcement, criminal justice and policy-making.
“It is imperative to sustain and enhance the accomplishments under the UNJP, which is set to expire on 31 July 2024, through institutionalization of a robust multistakeholder process for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Philippines,” marcos said in the four-page AO.
Among the functions of the committee is to ensure human rights will be enforced in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs and terrorism.
“For this purpose, the Special Committee may, whenever necessary, invite as a member and/or observer such other government agencies including the Commission on Human Rights, Dangerous Drug Board, and the Anti-terrorism Council-program Management Center,” the President said in the new issuance.
The Committee’s other functions include investigation and accountability on human rights violations, including those committed by law enforcement agencies.
It will also be tasked to uphold and protect human rights of persons deprived of liberty, particularly in guaranteeing that no one is subjected to torture or other cruel inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment.
Also part of its functions is to expand civic space and engagement with the private sector and also establish a National Mechanism for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up on human rights-related cases.
The mechanism will complement and rationalize the efforts of concerned government agencies, instrumentalities, and bodies in “identifying human rights concerns and issues, and in processing reports relative thereto to ensure that appropriation action is taken.”
The Committee will be chaired by the Executive Secretary, while the Justice Secretary will serve as his or her co-chair.
Its members will include the head of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC) will serve as the Committee’s secretariat.
The Committee is mandated to submit an annual report to the Office of the President; its members are authorized to accept donations, grants, bequests, gifts from domestic or foreign sources for purposes relevant to their mandate and functions.
AO 22 was signed by Bersamin on May 8, 2024 and its implementing guidelines will be issued within 30 days once the issuance takes effect.