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PH rights victims still face challenges seeking justice, UN report shows

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John Gabriel Agcaoili, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Family members and relatives receive the urns holding the ashes of victims of the war on drugs after a memorial service inside a Catholic church in Manila on November 15, 2021. The remains were exhumed from their graves after the lease on the tombs at a public cemetery they were buried expired and relatives could not afford to continue with it. Basilio H. Sepe, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/11/15/20211115-drugwar-church-bhs-7-jpg-20.jpg"/><figcaption>Family members and relatives receive the urns holding the ashes of victims of the war on drugs after a memorial service inside a Catholic church in Manila on November 15, 2021. The remains were exhumed from their graves after the lease on the tombs at a public cemetery they were buried expired and relatives could not afford to continue with it. <em>Basilio H. Sepe, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Victims in the Philippines continue to face challenges in seeking justice amid persisting reports of human rights violations and abuses in the country, a <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/country-reports/ahrc5158-implementation-human-rights-council-resolution-4533-and-progress" target="_blank">United Nations report</a> revealed Tuesday.</p><p>In the report, which gave updates about the implementation of the Human Rights Council resolution that promotes and protects domestic rights in the Philippines, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights acknowledged Manila&#x27;s pledge to work with UN mechanisms.</p><p>The OHCHR took note of the Philippines&#x27; initial implementation and commitment to the national-level UN joint program (UNJP) on human rights in the country which was signed in July 2021.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/23/21/ph-govt-un-launch-first-national-joint-human-rights-program">PH gov&#x27;t, UN launch first national joint human-rights program</a></li></ul><p>&quot;While implementation remains at an early stage, the initial progress has laid a solid foundation for future technical cooperation and capacity building. It is critical to maintain this momentum and commitment,&quot; the international office said.</p><p>However, the OHCHR noted that &quot;access to justice for victims of human rights violations and abuses remained very limited&quot; in the Philippines. </p><p>&quot;Institutional and structural shortcomings in law enforcement and the judiciary remained, despite efforts to address some cases. These shortcomings included limited oversight of human rights investigations, inadequate investigation capacity and inter-agency cooperation, limited forensic capacity and protracted judicial processes,&quot; the report read.</p><p>&quot;Inadequate victim and witness support and protection and fear of reprisals also impacted victims’ engagement.&quot;</p><p>The OHCHR also said that &quot;continued reports of harassment, threats, arrests, attacks, red tagging against civil society actors and continued drug-related killings by police in the past two years, raise serious ongoing concerns and undermine these objectives.&quot;</p><p>It urged the Marcos Jr. administration to take steps in protecting citizens who want to speak on and address human rights challenges. The rights office also emphasized the need for further progress on accountability.</p><div><strong>RECOMMENDATIONS</strong></div><p>The OHCHR recommended that the Philippine Department of Justice, which signed the UNJP, should expedite the agency&#x27;s review of killings related to the country&#x27;s drug war, which was initiated by former President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s administration in 2016.</p><p>&quot;(It) should also ensure that relevant findings are acted on promptly, including through internal administrative and criminal processes,&quot; the intergovernmental office said.</p><p>It noted that while some cases have been investigated by Manila, &quot;these have so far not resulted in convictions and redress for victims.&quot;</p><p>The report also recommended the following, among others:</p><ul>	<li>revising drug legislation and policies in line with human rights norms and international guidelines on human rights and drug policy </li>	<li>revisiting mandatory penalties for drug offenses</li>	<li>decriminalization of drug possession for personal use</li>	<li>pass proposed legislation on human rights defenders and implement measures to protect them</li></ul><p>The OHCHR also urged Manila to ensure the autonomy of the country&#x27;s Commission on Human Rights (CHR), &quot;including through a transparent and consultative appointment process for Commissioners in line with the UN Paris Principles,&quot; which frame and guide the work of national human rights institutions.</p><p>Human rights advocates in the Philippines have criticized the Marcos Jr administration for opposing the resumption of an international probe into the deadly drug war of Duterte, an ally of the incumbent President.</p><p>But the chief government lawyer recently insisted ongoing investigations by Philippine authorities make the probe unnecessary.</p><p>Last June 1, the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group bared that a total of 7,009 drug-related deaths were reported in the past 6 years of the Duterte administration during the execution of its drug war.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/01/22/over-7000-deaths-in-6-years-of-dutertes-drug-war-research">War on drugs: ABS-CBN research shows over 7,000 individuals killed in past 6 years</a></li></ul><p>The ABS-CBN research team&#x27;s tally was higher than the 6,241 death toll reported by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency last May 31.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nu0GXi07FPU?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The OHCHR recommended that the DOJ, which signed the UNJP, should expedite the agency's review of killings related to the country's drug war.

PH rights victims still face challenges seeking justice, UN report shows

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PH rights victims still face challenges seeking justice, UN report shows

John Gabriel Agcaoili,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 14, 2022 03:06 AM PHT

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DOJ

UN

Marcos Jr administration

Rodrigo Duterte

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