UN Human Rights Council mission to visit Philippines in November — Tolentino

The United Nations Human Rights Council will send a team to the Philippines in November to hold a dialogue on children exploitation and to discuss children's rights in the country.

This was disclosed by Senator Francis Tolentino at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum Wednesday as he discussed his view on the state of human rights in the country.

"We are going to have-- I was informed-- a dialogue with the Human Rights Commission within the next few weeks. Papunta po sila sa Pilipinas. Mayroong mission na pupunta dito," he said.

[They will go to the Philippines. There is a mission going here.]

Asked to clarify if he was referring to a mission from the UN Human Rights Council, Tolentino answered in the affirmative.

"Yes. [November] 28. Concerning exploitation of children [and] rights of the child," Tolentino said in a Viber message to GMA News Online.

As chairman of the Senate justice and human rights committee, Tolentino said he will participate in the said dialogue.

"Ibig sabihin, tinatanggap ng bansa natin...nakikita rin nila kung ano ang mga efforts ng ating pamahalaan tungkol dito. Mayroong functioning courts...So nagpapatunay lang ito na meron tayong effective, working Judiciary," he said at the forum.

"Kung mabagal man o hindi, meron tayong umiikot, gumugulong na hustisya, sistema ng katarungan. So it will belie the allegations that the judicial system is not functioning... They are wrong," he added.

(This means, our country welcomes them. They will see the efforts of the government regarding human rights. We have functioning courts which means we have an effective and working Judiciary. Regardless if it is slow or not, we can say that we have a working judicial system. So it will belie the allegations that the judicial system is not functioning...They are wrong.)

Earlier, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla told the UN Human Rights Council that the Marcos administration is pursuing a transformational reform on its justice and law enforcement sectors.

Remulla also called on the UNHRC to listen to the Philippine government and understand the context of its challenges.

"What we ask of you, the Human Rights Council and partners, is to listen to us. To understand the context of our challenges - beside us on the ground, not above us from afar," he said. 

Also on Wednesday, Tolentino stood by Remulla, saying it is "wrong" to call for the latter's resignation following the arrest of his son over alleged possession of illegal drugs.

"For the record, I support the current efforts of Secretary Boying Remulla. I support him not just as a fellow Caviteno, I support him as a father to a son and there is really a need to delineate the workings of a father within a household vis-a-vis the workings of Justice secretary mandated to ensure that justice is dispensed with in our system," Tolentino said at the same forum.

"So 'yung calls for resignation ni Secretary Remulla, e mali 'yon. Hayaan natin siyang magtrabaho," he added.

(So the calls for Secretary Remulla's resignation are wrong. Let's allow him to do his work.)

Tolentino said the assignment of the case to a team of prosecutors shows that there is no bias nor preference in terms of dispensation of justice. — RSJ, GMA News