Palace to UNHRC: We have been proactive in looking at HR abuses

Malacañang insisted on Saturday that government does not need to be called out to investigate the country’s human rights situation as it has been proactive in looking into cases of abuses particularly on its war on drugs.

Sought for comment regarding the recent call by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) against the government, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the government has been doing its job on the issue of human rights.

“Nasabi ko na sa inyo na may imbentaryo kami nung mga napatay diumano sa giyera laban sa droga para malaman namin kung talagang nasunod ba ang tamang proseso o hindi,” Roque said in a text message.

“Ibig sabihin hindi namin kinakailangan ang panawagan ng mga dayuhan, ginagawa na po namin ‘yan maski walang ganyang panawagan,” he added.

He also said that even if there was no international call for the Philippines to look into its human rights situation, government has been working to implement the law.

“Well maski po walang ganyang panawagan eh talaga naman pong ipinatutupad ng Kongreso ang batas,” Roque said.

Malacañang issued the reaction following the call of the 38 member-states of the UNHRC to assess the human rights situation in the Philippines.

In a joint statement, the UNHRC said that they were “encouraged by reports that the Government of the Philippines has indicated a willingness to cooperate with the U.N. to allow an objective assessment of the human rights situation in the country.”

“We urge the Government of the Philippines to cooperate with the United Nations system—including the Human Rights Council and its special procedure mandate holders—without preconditions or limitations,” the UNHRC added.   /muf