Published April 17, 2021, 11:24 AM
Absolute public participation in the grant of new mining concessions and in the review and renegotiation of existing agreements must be imposed by the government to assure the promotion of human rights, standard of living, and environmental protection in affected communities.
Commission on Human Rights (Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
This was stressed by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Saturday, April 17, as it expressed optimism that the government will make sure that all relevant mining and environmental laws are “observed and faithfully implemented” now that President Duterte has lifted the 2012 moratorium on new mining agreements.
In Executive Order No. 130 (EO 130) issued last April 14, the President lifted the moratorium on new mineral agreements in a bid to generate jobs and spur countryside development which have been ravaged by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra (TOTO LOZANO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO)
Guevarra said the inter-agency committee formed in 2012 to investigate incidents of extra-judicial killings (EJKs) reached out to the CHR to help in the probe.
The CHR is an independent constitutional office that investigates all forms of human rights violations involving civil and political rights.
Under Administrative Order No. 35 that created the inter-agency committee, the participation of the CHR and the Office of the Ombudsman in the investigation is limited to being “observers and resource persons.”
Aside from the DOJ as lead agency, the committee is composed of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of National Defense (DND), the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, the Presidential Human Rights Committee, the Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), a
(FLICKR / FILE PHOTO)
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra on Thursday night, March 11, said there has been a determination that the killings fall under the jurisdiction of Administrative Order (AO) 35 that created the Inter-Agency Committee on Extra-Legal Killings, Enforced Disappearances, Torture and Other Grave Violations of the Right of Life, Liberty and Security of Persons.
“The DOJ will endorse the investigation to the AO 35 committee, as there is sufficient evidence that the victims were members of cause-oriented groups carrying out legitimate dissent,” Guevarra said.
AO 35 was issued in 2012 by then President Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino III.
Aside from the DOJ as lead agency, AO35 inter-agency committee is composed of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of National Defense (DND), Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Director of the National Bureau of Investigation
CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City, Jan. 13 The Armed Forces of the Philippines submitted on Monday, January 11, to the United Nations a report on violent incidents committed by the communist terrorist group (CTG) towards civilians and their properties.
The report listed a total of 532 violent incidents since 2010 and gathered by the AFP Human Rights Office.
These were submitted to Ms Signe Poulsen, Representative to the Philippines of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Mr Gustavo Gonzales, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines.
Copies were also sent to Undersecretary Severo Catura, Executive Director of Presidential Human Rights Committee, and Assistant Secretary Noralyn Jubaira-Baja, Office of the United Nations and International Organizations, Department of Foreign Affairs.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Colonel Joel Alejandro Nacnac, chief of AFP Human Rights Office, said the report listed a total of 532 NPA attacks which had been monitored since 2010.
He said the report was submitted last Monday, January 11, to Ms. Signe Poulsen, Representative to the Philippines of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; and Mr. Gustavo Gonzales, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines.
A copy of the report was also sent to Undersecretary Severo Catura, executive director of the Presidential Human Rights Committee; and Assistant Secretary Noralyn Jubaira-Baja, of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of the United Nations and International Organizations.