CHR to gov’t: Rights not suspended during health crisis

Amid the arrests of individuals who have threatened President Rodrigo Duterte on social media, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has reminded his administration that even during a state of national health emergency, the right to express grievances is not suspended.

The CHR also expressed hope that law enforcement agencies’ recent vigilance “extends to other aspects of governance,” saying there are also other reports of human rights violations that should be addressed.

“We hope that our law enforcement’s recent vigilance against threats against life translates to other aspects of governance, as there are also other reports of human rights violations and abuses that need to be addressed,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said in a statement.

Earlier, authorities arrested two people in Cebu and Aklan provinces who allegedly offered a bounty through their Facebook posts for anyone who could kill Mr. Duterte.

Ronald Quiboyen, 40, and Maria Catherine Ceron, 26, are facing charges of inciting to sedition in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

Quiboyen, a construction worker, was arrested on Tuesday night at his boarding house in Barangay Yapak on Boracay Island.

The National Bureau of Investigation earlier arrested teacher Ronnel Mas who tweeted a P50-million bounty on the President on May 5.

Mas is a resident of Masinloc town in Zambales and taught at Taltal National High School.

Mas has remained under NBI custody although Assistant State Prosecutor Jeannette Dacpano wrote in a May 13 resolution that Mas’ warrantless arrest was invalid but was “ultimately cured” by Mas’ confession before the media.

However, she still recommended the filing of inciting to sedition charges against Mas.

But Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Friday said law enforcement agents erred in arresting without court-issued warrants individuals for merely criticizing Mr. Duterte on social media.

Lacson pointed out that the previous principle of arresting a citizen for “reasonable ground to believe that a person has committed a crime” had already been scrapped.