Facebook users ranted and complained about how the Commission of Human Rights often fail to stand up and voice their opposition whenever a victim was raped or murdered with the same passion that they give for alleged drug pushers and users who were hurt or killed in the war against drugs. Amid these negative attention drawn by the CHR, a netizen tried to explain the agency’s mandate in simple terms.
A certain Chris Delacruz posted on his Facebook page yesterday about “what the Commission on Human Rights was established to accomplish.” He enumerated the things that they cannot be involved in and emphasized that the agency gets to work when the government can no longer resolve the issue or is involved in the issue itself.
He gave different situations, which some Filipinos thought to be under the CHR’s jurisdiction when they are not. These include the rape of a girl, the murder of a boy, the murder of an innocent child by a drug addict, the murder of a vendor by a robber, the accident of a pedestrian ran over by a drug addict bus driver. All these examples of crimes fall under the jurisdiction of the Philippine National Police (PNP), which is tasked to solve all these cases.
So which cases would the CHR be typically involved with?
Delacruz gave four different situations that should be resolved by the agency.
Situation 1 is when your mother was abducted and tortured by the PNP, AFP or any government agency.
He explained that the CHR will get involved because “she has the human right to be treated with dignity by not suffering torture and by going through due process and rule of law.”
Situation 2 is when your father was killed for holding a rally against the government.
Delacruz said the CHR will resolve the case because “he has the human right, as protected under the Constitution, to freely express, as long as he does not commit any legal acts like sedition.”
Situation 3 is when your sister was sent abroad into a trap for sex-for-pay, which is a human trafficking issue and which certainly falls under the CHR’s mandate.
Situation 4 is when your rights like the “right to vote, to marry, to speak, to practice your religion, to organize, to work, to have access to health and education, and to move freely in society” were taken away from you.
He added that the CHR will intervene in such a case to protect your universal human right.
Delacruz reminds the Filipinos to stop looking for CHR whenever they see photos of someone getting killed or victimized online and alert the PNP instead.
“Gets mo? So stop calling for the CHR whenever you see online a gruesome picture of someone murdered. Call for the PNP to solve the crime instead. That is what it was commissioned to do. Now, let’s respect both the PNP and the CHR and pray to God they are doing what they were established to do. Peace,” he concluded.
As of writing, Delacruz’ post has gained 7,400 reactions, 4,187 shares, and 376 comments.
Under Section 18, Article XIII of the Constitution of the Philippines, one of the CHR’s powers and functions is to “investigate, on its own or on complaint by any party, all forms of human rights violations involving civil and political rights.” The agency is also tasked to “monitor the Philippine Government’s compliance with international treaty on human rights.”
Sources: (web.facebook.com, chr.gov.ph)
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