FILE PHOTO: Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Monday that the government had invited a third special rapporteur to visit the country to show that the Philippines is willing to resolve issues and improve the rights situation in the country.
Remulla just returned from Geneva after attending the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Philippines conducted by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
He said two special rapporteurs – Mama Fatima Singhateh for sale and sexual exploitation of children and Irene Khan on freedom of expression and media – are already set to visit the country.
A third rapporteur, Dr. Morris Tidball-Binz, who specializes in forensic science, was also invited for extrajudicial killings.
All three special rapporteurs are expected to visit the Philippines in early 2023, Remulla noted.
READ: CHR says another UN special rapporteur to visit PH by 2023
According to the Department of Justice chief, the government is not denying that there are problems within the system but stressed that the government “is open to suggestions and open to improving whatever situation that is here.”
“We do not hide and say that’s not true. We’re saying that if there is room for improvement, we will take it,” he said during a press conference.
Special rapporteurs must be invited by a government in order to visit a country in their official capacity.
During President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, no invitation was extended to then-special rapporteur Agnes Callamard, who criticized the government’s brutal “war on drugs.”
On inviting Dr. Tidball-Binz to visit the Philippines, Remulla said the government wants his help in capacity-building for forensic pathologists in the country.
“Right now, we only have two licensed, legal, legitimate, and actually internationally accepted forensic pathologists in our country. The rest are medico-legal experts but not the level of forensic pathologist that we want,” he noted.
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