Hontiveros files bill defining rights, fundamental freedoms of human rights defenders

Senator Risa Hontiveros has filed a bill seeking to define the rights and fundamental freedoms of the human rights defenders (HRDs) in a bid to fight impunity against them.

In Senate Bill No. 2447, Hontiveros raised concern about HRDs in the country often being targets and victims of harassment and persecution, despite them helping protect, promote, and strive for the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms and welfare of the people.

“They are treated with contempt, even threatened with violence. HRDs are often subjected to summary execution, enforced disappearance, false labeling and red-tagging, and malicious prosecution,” Hontiveros said in her explanatory note.

She stressed that the bill would therefore guarantee the protection of the rights and fundamental freedoms of HRDs, specify the obligations of the State to ensure the enjoyment of these rights and freedoms, and impose appropriate sanctions to counter impunity.

“The rights of HRDs must be fully recognized and the duties of public authorities be institutionalized. Human rights are fundamental anchors of our democratic society. The mission to protect those who defend our rights must persist,” she added.

Among the HRD rights and freedoms Senate Bill No. 2447 aims to respect, protect, and promote are:

• Right to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms;
• Right to form groups, associations and organizations;
• Right to peaceful assembly;
• Right to seek, receive and disseminate information;
• Right to privacy;
• Right to develop and advocate human rights ideas;
• Right to solicit, receive and utilize resources;
• Right to access, communicate and cooperate with international and regional human rights bodies and mechanisms;
• Right to effective remedy and full reparation;
• Freedom from intimidation and reprisal; and
• Freedom of movement

House Bill No. 77

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) earlier expressed opposition to the House bill on human rights defenders’ protection, saying it is a “grave, vicious, and  insidious threat” against democracy.

In a statement issued in March, the NTF-ELCAC said the bill is a “grave, vicious, and  insidious threat” against democracy.

“The NTF-ELCAC, through its Legal Cooperation Cluster, therefore, calls on all Filipinos to unequivocally reject HB No. 77 and to enjoin their District Representatives to junk the said Bill on sight, upon its introduction in the plenary for its Second Reading,” it said.

It said the bill will make anti-terrorism laws like the Anti-Terrorism Act, Anti-Money  Laundering Law as amended, and the Terrorism Financing Prevention  and Suppression Act, among others, as mere “toothless paper tigers.”

The “Human Rights Defenders' Protection Act” or House Bill No.77 hurdled the committee level earlier in March.

It defines "human rights defenders" as any person who, individually or in association with others, acts or seeks to act to protect, promote or strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms and welfare of the people at the local, national, regional, and international levels. — Giselle Ombay/RSJ, GMA Integrated News