(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the creation of a human rights “super body” composed of key government agencies, Malacañang bared on Sunday.
Administrative Order 22, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on the President’s behalf on May 8, aims to enhance the mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Philippines with the creation of the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC).
Headed by the Office of the Executive Secretary, the special committee will have the justice secretary as co-chairman and the secretaries of the Foreign Affairs and Interior and Local Government departments as members.
The AO highlights the significance of maintaining and intensifying the accomplishments of the United Nations for the Joint Program on Human Rights (UNJP), which expires on July 31.
The Philippines is a state party to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The creation of the PHRC, which is tasked to formulate a National Human Rights Action Plan, complies with the country’s obligations to international human rights groups.
In the past, the Philippines has partnered with the UNJP to engage in capacity-building and technical cooperation in the areas of law enforcement, criminal justice and policymaking.
The duties and functions of the special committee include efforts to conduct investigation and accountability; data gathering on alleged human rights violations by law enforcement agencies; expanding the civic space and engagement with the private sector; national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up; and a human rights-based approach toward drug control.
It will also implement a human rights-based approach towards counter-terrorism.
The “super body” is tasked to “monitor and ensure effective implementation of government policies and programs aimed at upholding and protecting human rights of persons deprived of liberty, particularly in guaranteeing that no one is subjected to torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment of punishment.”
