Gordon sat on human rights bills, says De Lima

MANILA, Philippines — Detained Sen. Leila de Lima on Monday expressed disappointment that the Senate committee headed by Sen. Richard Gordon failed to act on the measures she had filed aimed at protecting human rights in the country.

In a statement, De Lima said her continued incarceration at Camp Crame “on trumped-up drug charges” would not deter her from pursuing her advocacies in the 18th Congress.

She said she would again propose measures intended to promote human rights, such as the Human Rights Defenders and Prison Reform bill, the Criminal Investigation bill and the Commission on Human Rights Charter bill.

Gathered dust

“Many of these measures were referred to the Senate committee on justice and human rights, chaired by … Gordon, but they gathered dust in the 17th Congress,” De Lima said.

“Despite the challenges and roadblocks, we will continue our mission of beefing up human rights and social justice in the country,” she said.

The Senate Bills and Index Service started receiving and processing the measures and resolutions of senators on Monday before the formal opening of the Congress on July 22.

De Lima, chair of the Senate committee on social justice, welfare and rural development, insisted that the passage of her bills were “crucial amid the prevailing culture of impunity and human rights abuses” she blamed on President Duterte’s bloody war on drugs. —Marlon Ramos