Opposition solon: CHR abolition to turn us into a ‘rogue state’

Akbayan representative Tom Villarin. PHOTO FROM VILLARIN’S FACEBOOK PAGE

The abolition of the Commission on Human Rights as called for by President Duterte would turn the country into a “rogue state” on par with North Korea, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Tomasito Villarin said in his privilege speech.

In his speech delivered on Monday, Villarin stressed the need for an independent commission to monitor the abuses of the State “simply because we owe it to our people.” He added that the military and police could not be entrusted to be check its own excesses.

“We cannot give human rights monitoring to the AFP or the PNP simply because they still cannot give us the guarantee of protection. They hold the monopoly of violence that they can use against us citizens of the Republic anytime,” he said.

Villarin added that since the CHR is a constitutional body, its abolition would only be possible by abolishing the 1987 Constitution itself.

This would also “negate the gains of the anti-dictatorship struggle and democratic spaces we have created to foster values of freedom — of speech, of the press, to organize and express grievances, freedom of assembly.”

He added that this would diminish the sacrifices of the over 75,000 human rights victims under the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.

“The Philippines will be negatively affected in the international community and puts into question our commitment to international human rights and international humanitarian law. It will be a reversal of our international standing as a staunch human rights defender,” he said. “This sends a wrong message and this will now equate us with North Korea as a rogue state.”

Villarin added the abolition of the CHR would “only institutionalize the reign of impunity, the culture of fear and silence now happening around us and will lead to the disempowerment and desecration of our democratic values.”

Contrary to President Duterte’s profanity-laced comments on July 24, Villarin said it was not for the CHR to go after the enemies of the state who have killed policemen and soldiers.

He also explained that the CHR’s mandate is not to stop criminality or conduct law enforcement operations, but to defend the people against excesses of the State. Meanwhile, the government can go after its enemies by using its full powers over law enforcement and prosecutorial functions.

“If our police and military in armed conflict die or suffer wounds in battle, our nation honors them with their sacrifice and bravery. We do not honor them by using terror and brutality against our enemies,” Villarin said. JE

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