House resolution honors late CHR chair Gascon

Chito Gascon

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos should continue to hold power to account to honor the late Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chair Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon who succumbed to COVID-19 on Oct. 9, a lawmaker said on Monday.

Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun filed a House resolution on Monday, expressing the deepest condolences of the House of Representatives to the bereaved family of Gascon.

Fortun hailed Gascon’s courage and unwavering resolve to pursue and assert the CHR mandate despite the challenges to human rights in the country and “pernicious attacks against his person and the institution.”

He said the death of Gascon was “an enormous loss to the country amid imminent threats to fundamental rights and freedom.”

Gascon, according to him, was a brilliant, brave, selfless and unrelenting activist and advocate who devoted his life to promoting freedom, democracy, justice, rule of law and human rights.

He described Gascon as a true nationalist, patriot and hero “whose life and works should be etched in the annals of our history.”

“At this point in our history, when disinformation threatens the same principles that Chito fought for, I call on the Filipino people, especially the youth, to safeguard themselves against propaganda that are meant to distort historical truths and perpetuate the disregard for human rights,” he said. INQ