Int’l group to monitor closely Aquino’s super group on human rights

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III. AP

MANILA, Philippines—The government’s newly established interagency “super body” to look into human rights violations can either be a move to strengthen the government’s power over the issue or can just be a “public relations effort,” the Human Rights Watch group said Tuesday.

President Benigno Aquino III signed last week Administrative Order 35, creating a nine-man body which will investigate into extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture and other human rights violations.

Brad Adams, Human Rights Watch Asia director, said the creation of the committee could be to address the “lack of political will and little cooperation among government agencies” in resolving human rights violations, or could just be a publicity stunt.

“We intend to monitor this new body closely to see whether it results in prompt and serious action against abusers or is just more government smoke and mirrors,” Adams said.

The committee will replace the Task Force Against Political Violence that was created in 2007. Jamie Marie Elona