MANILA, Philippines?(UPDATE) Former Akbayan Rep. Loretta Rosales formally assumed the chairmanship of the Commission on Human Rights Friday, noting that she has big shoes to fill and asking her detractors not to be afraid of her.

Rosales, whose formal appointment came weeks after the President announced she was his choice for the top CHR post, said she would continue giving priority to protecting human rights against police brutality and summary killings by state agents.

She also intends to focus on beefing up the agency's mandate through an amended charter and a better budget, instituting reforms within the commission and enforcing the anti-torture law and other international humanitarian laws.

She disclosed that she received her appointment papers earlier this week and subsequently took her oath before the Chief Justice.

Rosales' appointment to the CHR did not sit well with militant groups belonging another faction in the leftist movement.

These groups have castigated her for, among others, supposedly linking progressive groups to the communist movement, and for saying that the killings of activists were part of an internal purge among communists.

But she said that her critics have nothing to fear from her, since she intends to treat them with equality, in the same manner that she treats everybody else.

?All they have to do is come to me. They should not fear me, they should not suspect me. They should look at me as officially I'm now the chair,? she said in a press briefing.

But she also said she intends to address the human rights concerns of all groups, militants and state agents alike.

?There is universality of human rights,? she said.

Rosales, a victim of abuses during martial law, led the fight for compensation for martial law victims. She also once headed the House committee on human rights.

Rosales was welcomed by all four CHR commissioners at the turnover ceremonies at the Imperial Suites in Quezon City.

In her speech during the event, Rosales acknowledged that following in the footsteps her predecessor was a tall order. She noted that former CHR chief Leila de Lima, who now heads the Department of Justice, showed the agency the importance of integrity, independence and courage in protecting human rights. But she also said the CHR personnel's support was important.

?These are shoes of the former Chair that are difficult to fill, no doubt. But we know that the Chair could not have functioned as efficiently and effectively without your all-out support,? she said.

According to her, the government's failure to enforce social justice policies leads to police and military abuses against dissenters. Hence, the CHR should take the lead in reminding government to respect and protect the social, economic and cultural rights of the people.

People have also been tolerating abuses in their everyday lives, she pointed out, as seen in fraternity initiations, exploitative labor practices, domestic violence, and, among armed groups, violations of international humanitarian law in the guise of revolutionary goals.

?Our task as a human rights institution is to address this predominance of violence and impunity by taking the lead role but without illusions of being able to solve this sorry state of violence by ourselves,? she said.

She also noted that the Armed Forces of the Philippines has promised a human rights center in every battalion and plans to launch a manual on international humanitarian law, and said these were promising and encouraging.

?This can pave the way for more substantial dialogues on building bridges for peace among the armed forces both within and outside government. CHR can play its intervening role in this challenging endeavor,? she said.