P1k CHR budget shows disrespect to Constitution, human rights —VP Leni

Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday said giving the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) a P1,000 budget for 2018—as what the House of Representatives did—is a show of disrespect toward not only to the Constitution but also to human rights.

In a statement, Robredo said the decision of the House of Representatives is tantamount to abolishing the CHR, which has been critical of the Duterte administration's war on drugs due to its high death toll.

"Tila pagbuwag sa CHR ang magiging epekto ng desisyong ito," the vice president said. "Nagbabadya ito ng kawalan ng respeto sa ating Saligang Batas at sa karapatang pantao—parehong banta sa demokrasya."

"Lalo sa konteksto kung saan laganap ang karahasan at patayan, tunay na nakakabahala ang mensaheng ibinibigay ng pagpilay sa mismong ahensyang dapat nagpapatibay ng ating mga karapatan," she added.

With a vote of 119-32, the House of Representatives on Tuesday approved 1-SAGIP party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta's motion to reduce the CHR's 2018 budget to P1,000.

Marcoleta argued during his interpellation that the commission should have been investigating all human rights violations, regardless of group affiliations.

Meanwhile, Robredo said that there is still hope as deliberation for the CHR budget is still not over, as the Senate still has to tackle it.

"Umaasa tayong mananaig ang nararapat sa ipapasang badyet. Sabay-sabay tayong maging mapagmatyag sa magaganap na proseso," she said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, the sponsor of the CHR's 2018 budget, said the Senate will stand its ground regarding the P678-million budget for the commission.

Minority lawmakers have slammed the House's move, with Albay Representative Edcel Lagman saying that giving the CHR a P1,000 budget is "embarrassing and unconstitutional."

Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, for his part, said the CHR is essentially abolished if it would be given a P1,000 budget.

CHR chairman Chito Gascon, for his part, said that the decision of the House is a "display of vindictiveness." —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KBK, GMA News