Presuming criminals innocent until proven guilty is not defending them, CHR says

MANILA—The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Saturday said it is not defending criminals when it emphasizes the need to presume their innocence until proven guilty.

This was after Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the CHR is giving more importance to the human rights of criminals than those of victims.

“. . . What I see is that criminals are not afraid anymore because they have human rights and the victims have no human rights. So what happened? There will be more victims. They’re (the CHR) a big part of this," Osmeña was quoted as saying in an online report.

The commission reiterated that its mandate is to protect the rights of all Filipinos.

"Holding the accused innocent until proven guilty in the court of law is one of the most crucial principles of the Philippine justice system, and the commission continuously reminds the government and the public that this principle is something we must all uphold," it said.

"Ensuring that this right is protected is not endorsing criminality nor is it defending criminals, and any rise in crime in any place in the Philippines cannot be attributed to human rights defenders who strive only for the justice system to work as intended."

The CHR assured it "works closely with victims of both human rights violations and crime."

"All humans have the right to due process in court of law. Regardless of their circumstances, summary executions are not justice, and any assertion that their deaths are deserved is a sign of a failing justice system," it said.