Promote Human rights, not Impunity

RED ANT

 

dpbDárlán Páléncìá Bárcélón

 

The Presidential preference to include the possible inclusion of the  Commission on Human Rights’ [CHR] removal in the proposed constitutional-reform process  next year, is not a good remark made by the President during a press conference after his second State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday.

Although, the constitutional reform process in amending the 1987 Constitution for economic reasons is needed, abolishing this constitutional body is whimsical and would just deny economic growth for the simple reason it will cause economic downturn and instability.

Removing CHR’s constitutional mandate to inform the public the importance of human rights in society will lead to abuses as the State is abdicating its responsibility to promoting the protection of basic rights of its citizens.

Stripping this constitutional body in the bureaucracy will create a “broken windows” scenarios and making community unsafe to live and to do business, as it will foment unrest and dissent.

The prounouncement is unpopular and anti-people. The country being one of the signatory of the United Nation Universal Declaration of Human Rights – it should adopt and promote on its own political system.

Any form of discussion, public pronouncement to abolish CHR or even under the process constitutional reforms – is not a reform per se as universal respect for human rights will be in great danger.

As the nation who is undergoing a dreadful voyage fighting impunity against organized groups, armed groups and state forces who are unafraid committing abuses against unarmed common tao – abolishing CHR paints a dreadful future.

State security forces can now act beyond established philosophy of protection of basic tenets of human rights, as his pronouncement impliedly promotes impunity with wide latitude.

If the President is feeling uncomfortable with the existence of the Commission on Human Rights, the Filipinos can no longer expect the protection and advancement of human rights under his watch.

I can not imagined what will happen if the entire Philippines will be put under Martial law in the forthcoming 2018 – in time of dissents where will the people will seek government protections?

The penchant of the President to impose his whims and his propensity to insists on what he wants has been executed during his first year in office.

The most blatant was the burial of the late dictator at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

He defied history by allowing the burial of the tyrant, he is again threatening to bury the Commission on Human Rights.

 

ADVISORY: Send your suggestions, comments at:  inangmaharangmountain@gmail.com Follow us via Twitter.com/Philippine Examiner (@inangmaharangm6)  or https://www.facebook.com/phil.examiner.7

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *