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HRW: Appointing 'independent' CHR commissioners a test for Marcos admin's commitment to human rights
International watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday called on President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to choose "qualified and independent" human rights advocates who will take posts as commissioners at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
In a press release, HRW deputy Asia director Phil Robertson said Marcos should guarantee an inclusive and transparent process in selecting the new commissioners of the body.
"President-elect Marcos should appoint commissioners with proven track records of defending human rights,” Robertson said, noting that the appointment of the new commissioners will be "an important first test for his administration’s commitment to human rights."
"Given the grave human rights situation in the Philippines, these new commissioners should be independent and strongly committed to fearlessly and impartially upholding the commission’s mandate and duties," he added.
According to Robertson, Marcos should convene an independent search committee, which will come up with a short list of candidates for commissioners.
"This committee should identify individuals with strong human rights backgrounds and credentials. Convening such a search committee will help ensure transparency in the process," Robertson said.
There had been human rights abuses under the military rule of Marcos' father, late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Amnesty International pegged the number of those killed under the Martial Law from 1972 to 1981 at 3,200 while those who were illegally detained at 70,000.
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Gonzalez said the incoming Philippine president even said that he is conducting a number of consultations to ensure the best way of supporting the human rights agenda.
Meanwhile, the HRW also said Marcos would "inherit" the human rights situation under the Duterte administration, which has been plagued with alleged violations and abuses.
The government's campaign against illegal drugs has been linked to alleged extrajudicial slays of thousands of individuals since it started in 2016.
Robertson said "Marcos is in a strong position to set the Commission on Human Rights in a positive direction for the next seven years by selecting independent, credible rights advocates as commissioners."
"By building up rather than tearing down the commission, Marcos would help dispel people’s fears about human rights under his administration," he said.
The HRW said the term of the five-member commission, the fifth group of commissioners since it was established in 1987, already ended in May.
GMA News Online has reached out the Marcos camp for comment regarding HRW's call but it has yet to reply as of posting time.—Anna Felicia Bajo/AOL, GMA News