PHL hits UN human rights commissioner for ‘highly biased’ report vs. gov’t

The Philippines on Wednesday scored United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein for supposedly giving "highly biased and sweeping generalizations" as regards the human rights situation in the country.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Philippine Deputy Permanent Representative Maria Teresa Almojuela made the remark after Al Hussein's submitted his report on the Philippine situation to the UN Human Rights Council.

In Geneva, Almojuela responded to the commissioner’s report, stating that "the practice of making highly-biased and sweeping generalizations, without due consideration of the facts on the ground, has no place in the Human Rights Council.”

“Like any country, the Philippines cannot and does not assert that it manages the challenges to human rights in a perfect manner, but the Philippine government, more than any party here, seeks justice and dignity for all Filipino people," Almojuela said in her statement at the 36th Human Rights Council General Debate.

She said the Philippines was a democratic country that strongly adhered to the rule of law "with well-established and institutionalized human rights, policies and programs."

"The Philippine Government investigates and prosecutes all credible allegations of human rights violations, including those perpetrated allegedly by state security forces," Almojuela said.

"The [Universal Periodic Review on the Philippine human rights situation] has shown our openness to constructive dialogue to continue to enhance and strengthen the protection and promotion of human rights in the country,” she added.

The UPR is a state-led process, which seeks to promote cooperation among United Nations Member States in further enhancing their respective national human rights policies and practices.

Many UN member-states, especially those from ASEAN and developing countries, expressed support for the efforts of the Philippines to address the drug menace. 

Some member-states also committed to provide support for the Philippine drug treatment and rehabilitation plans.

“The Philippines has provided the Human Rights Council with all the facts regarding the campaign against illegal drugs in our report to the Third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review [UPR] in May 2017," Cayetano said.

"The Commissioner’s report would have been balanced and accurate had he considered the information that we provided, instead of just relying on uncorroborated information," he added/

Cayetano reiterated the commitment of the Philippines to continue constructively engaging the UNHRC.

"The Philippines has actively participated in the Universal Periodic Review process, and was one of the first countries to undergo the review in 2008, having championed the establishment of the UPR process under the UN Human Rights Council Mechanism,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano said the report he provided during the UPR showed President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to fight the drug problem by all means under the law.

"The anti-illegal drug campaign should follow approved protocols to ensure the protection of human rights, and that any erring law enforcement agent would be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law," Cayetano said.

It was the secretary who led the Philippine delegation to the Third Cycle of the UPR in Geneva and presented the country report.

Al Hussein in June criticized Duterte and US President Donald Trump for allegedly "breaking long-held taboos" in their respective support for torture and extra-judicial killings.

"The dangers to the entire system of international law are therefore very real," Al Hussein said in a speech delivered on Monday night in London. —NB, GMA News