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Commission notes sharp rise in violations

Graphic: CHR Central Office

The Commission has documented a number of cases of enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests and torture.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said there has been a sharp increase in the number of people experiencing serious human rights violations in the country, the Manila Times reported.

CHR Chairperson Jose Luis Martin Gascon said the Commission had documented a number of cases of enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests and torture.

"These should not happen in a free and a democratic nation," Gascon said during a hearing on the CHR's proposed 2016 budget.

Addressing these human rights violations was the reason the Commission sought additional support and funding, he told the committee.

A 2013 report from CHR showed a small decrease in the overall number of cases of extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and torture cases 146 in 2012 to 138 in 2013. However, the number of victims of these crimes had increased by 12.6 percent from 166 in 2012 to 187 in 2013.

The Philippine National Police was identified as the main perpetrator in these incidents, involved in six extra-judicial killings, two enforced disappearance and 60 torture cases.

The communist New People's Army was also identified as being responsible for 12 extra-judicial killings, four enforced disappearances and one torture case.

Other organisations involved in the cases included the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and Armed Forces of the Philippines, among others.

Gascon highlighted the need to bolster the CHR's witness protection services because of the nature of threats made against witnesses to human rights violations and CHR personnel.

Date: 9 October 2015

Source: Manila Times


Image credits

  1. CHR Central Office - Philippines Commission on Human Rights