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CHR welcomes expanded protection for witnesses, victims of HR violations

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Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Thursday said it welcomes a proposal from an NGO to pass a law strengthening the witness protection program (WPP) for witnesses and victims of human rights violations.“Of course. Isa yun sa mga pangarap namin &#x27;yun eh, yung palakasin yung aming witness protection program. With this proposal, very welcome po sa Commission on Human Rights yan,” CHR Chairperson Richard Palpal-latoc said in a press conference.The idea of submitting a bill in Congress improving the coverage as well as the penalties for harassing witnesses under the WPP was first raised by the Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services (IDEALS) on Tuesday.The group identified several shortcomings under the current setup where the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the CHR each has its own WPP.Under the proposed bill called the &quot;Persons-At-Risk Protection Program Act&quot; which has yet to be filed at the House of Representatives, the persons covered under the WPP will now include common-law spouses, guardians, wards and even human rights defenders.Previously excluded from both the DOJ and CHR WPPs are law enforcers but IDEALS will now include them if they serve as whistleblowers.The criteria for inclusion in the WPP will be based on the risk and threat level assessment.The proposed bill will impose a P300,000 penalty for violations or imprisonment for 3 years and 1 day to 6 years, or both.If the perpetrator is a state actor, the penalty could go up to P500,000 or imprisonment for between 6 years and 1 day to 12 years, or both.Even attempts to violate the WPP will be penalized, according to IDEALS.Under RA 6981 which created the DOJ WPP, violators are only fined P3,000 or jail time of between 6 months to 1 year. Violation of CHR’s WPP, on the other hand, may only be considered a basis for being cited in contempt.IDEALS earlier pointed out that the CHR’s WPP is based merely on an administrative order and which do not automatically carry with it funding under the national budget.Institutionalizing the CHR’s WPP through a law will address the funding problem, it added, a point the CHR agrees with.“Number one is sufficient resources — manpower and syempre funds para ma-sustain yung program kasi meron na kami niyan so we already know how to operate such kind of program and we already know some of the difficulties and challenges of the program. So number 1 ang resources, manpowers and funds,” Palpal-latoc said.The CHR chairperson added the CHR has no problems including law enforcers within their protection under the WPP.“CHR po ng lahat, naglilingkod maging sino ka man so wala po kaming distinction kahit na sino siya, welcome po ang lahat sa CHR,” he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/12/13/23/ngo-seeks-better-protection-for-witnesses-victims-of-human-rights-violations">NGO to propose bill expanding protection for witnesses, victims of human rights violations</a></li></ul>

The CHR welcomes a proposal to pass a law strengthening the witness protection program (WPP) for witnesses and victims of human rights violations.

CHR welcomes expanded protection for witnesses, victims of HR violations

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CHR welcomes expanded protection for witnesses, victims of HR violations

Mike Navallo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 14, 2023 05:51 PM PHT

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