‘Comfort women’ happy with UN panel report

Filipino women who were subjected to sexual slavery by the Japanese soldiers during World War II welcomed the United Nations panel report that criticized the Philippines for allegedly not fighting for their cause.
 
“Masaya kami, masaya, napanalo na," said Candelaria Soliman of the Malaya Lolas, a non-profit organization aimed at providing support to survivors of sexual slavery, in JP Soriano’s report on “24 Oras Weekend" on Saturday.
 
(We’re happy. We won.)
 
Soliman was among the 24 Filipinas who had petitioned the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women to demand justice and assistance from the Philippine government.
 
Earlier this week, the committee found that the Philippine government violated the rights of "comfort women" by "failing to provide reparation, social support, and recognition commensurate with the harm suffered."

It urged the Philippines to provide the victims “full reparation, including recognition and redress, an official apology, and material and moral damages” for the continuing discrimination.
 
“As a state party to CEDAW, we ask our government to take immediate action while the remaining members of the Malaya Lolas are still with us,” Harry Roque, counsel for World War II Filipina sexual slaves, said in a statement on Thursday.
 
On Friday, the Presidential Communications Office said "the government of the Philippines recognizes the suffering of female victims of atrocious violations that occurred during the Second World War."
 
"The government of the Philippines remains fully committed to women's rights pursuant to its international human rights obligations and national laws and jurisprudence," the PCO said.

It added the government will "study the views of the committee and submit a written response within the time frame of six months as provided under the optional protocol to the CEDAW."
 
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, meanwhile, said he would hold a dialogue with the Senate and House of Representatives to pass the necessary legislation to indemnify victims of sexual slavery during World War II. — Sherylin Untalan/VBL, GMA Integrated News