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Leni says CHR abolition anti-poor


Vice President Leni Robredo on Friday added her voice to the opposition to the abolition of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), which President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to do for supposedly meddling with his anti-drug campaign.

"Hindi ako sang-ayon sa pag-abolish ng CHR," said Robredo in an interview at the inauguration of a four-storey building in Sabang National High School in Calabanga, Camarines Sur.

"Saka kung titingnan natin, bakit ba nakapalaman ito sa ating Konstitusyon? Nakapalaman ito sa ating Konstitusyon dahil sa mahabang karanasan natin ng human rights abuses, na ang nagko-commit sarili nating mga government officials, ang nagko-commit mga kawani ng gobyerno," she added.

Duterte, in a press conference after his two-hour State of the Nation Address last Monday, said the CHR is "better abolished," adding he will not allow police and soldiers to be investigated for doing their jobs.

The CHR is an independent office created under the 1987 Constitution tasked to investigate all forms of human rights violations involving civil and political rights.

"Kaya nagkaroon ng CHR para may sandata iyong mahihirap na mayroong kakampi sa kanila, mayroong mangangalaga ng kanilang karapatan kapag sila ay naaabuso, kapag ang kanilang karapatang pantao ay naaabuso ng mga kawani ng gobyerno," she said.

"Kung ia-abolish iyong CHR, parang lalo nating hindi binibigyan ng proteksyon iyong mga dati nang naghihirap sa ating lipunan," Robredo added. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KBK, GMA News

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