by PhilRights Staff
Chel Diokno, eminent human rights lawyer and one of the leading voices in the human rights movement, discussed the Philippines’ human rights situation before members of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) during the alliance’s 12th National Congress last week. Here are the highlights from his talk.
The People’s Basic Rights are Still Under Attack
Diokno framed his discussion on the basic rights of people as individuals and as a collective. On the right to life, he emphasized how extrajudicial killings (EJKs) continue unabated. “Nakatatanggap pa rin kami ng mga ulat ng mga incidents ng EJK sa ilalim ng war on drugs,” (We still receive reports on incidents of EJKS under the war on drugs) he said, adding that the attacks on human rights defenders, environmental and land rights defenders in particular, are contributing to the bloody tally.
Considering the government’s response to the killings, Diokno noted that “there doesn’t seem to be any attempt…to investigate this properly and genuinely and to hold accountable those who are responsible.”
The Pandemic Response is Lacking, Mismanaged
The government’s bungled response to the pandemic is contributing to the worsening human rights situation in the country, citing the recent proliferation of community pantries as an indicator for how lacking government support is, especially for those most in need.
So-called violators of lockdown restrictions have also been subject to rights violations. “Mayroon kaming na-monitor na dalawang kaso na nabugbog and actually namatay dahil lang sila ay nag-violate ng curfew.” (We monitored two cases where they were beaten and killed just because they violated the curfew.)
The youth, Diokno emphasized, are also grossly affected, with their right to education continuing to be compromised. His discussions with young people, he said, revealed how difficult online learning has been, noting that DepEd appears to have dropped the ball in planning these measures. “Ang laki ng pagkukulang when it comes to government support for the right to education as well as the welfare of our youth.” (There is so much lacking when it comes to government support for the right to education as well as the welfare of our youth.)
Red-tagging Affects All of our Basic Rights
“It affects our right to life, our right to dignity and it also affects our right to develop kasi pati mga kabataan narered-tag na ngayon,” Diokno said. He urged human rights defenders to continue to push back against red-tagging from government actors.
Our Right to Develop as a People Continue to be Jeopardized
Diokno highlighted the issue of food security, specifically concerning overfishing, by citing recent reports of Chinese and other commercial fishing vessels operating with impunity in the West Philippine Sea and other big fishing areas. While there are already laws in place, he said that “there is still a lot of space for them to be enforced for [these laws] to become a reality on the ground.” The same goes with broader issues of environmental protection: “Although there are motherhood statements from government addressing the issues of climate change, we are not seeing concrete steps from the government on these issues.”
Comprehensive Justice Reform is Needed, Especially Now
One core component of human rights is the right to remedy if one is a victim of a human rights violation. But the attainment of justice for victims remains elusive given the weaknesses of the country’s justice system. Diokno laments that the government does not appear to prioritize justice reforms. “Wala akong nakikitang legislative agenda na kasama ang pagpapalakas ng sistema ng hustisya,” (I cannot see a legislative agenda that includes the strengthening of the justice system.)
“How can we enforce our human rights? How can we get remedies for human rights violations? Papaano tayo magkakaroon ng pananagutan diyan kung hindi naman maayos ang pagtakbo ng ating justice system?” (How can we have accountability if the justice system does not work properly?)
Obvious Curtailing of Civic Space, Weakening of Checks and Balances
Diokno sees that “there is an obvious trend to stifle freedom of expression; there is an obvious trend to silence the opposition and to intimidate. There is also an obvious trend to attack the very institutions that are there to provide proper checks and balances to stop abuse of authority.”
He cites the administration’s undermining of the work of the Commission of Human Rights (CHR) and the independence of the media as clear examples of this trend.
There is Light at the End of the Tunnel
Despite the gloomy picture that is the Philippines’ human rights situation, Diokno believes that there are better days ahead. “I do see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
“Palagay ko mas marami na ngayon ang nagsasalita, mas marami na ngayon ang naglalabas ng kanilang hinaing at saloobin sa ating pamahalaan.” (I think there are more people who are speaking out, many more are expressing their grievances and sentiments about the government.”
He pointed to the rising number of community pantries as an example of this collective awakening, referring to the trend as a “sight to behold.” He adds: “I understand there are over 350 community pantries already set up and others are continuing to sprout. It’s an activity that is totally spontaneous on the part of the people and something that is worth fighting for and protecting.”
He concluded with hope, believing that the prospects are still bright for the country. “We are witnessing people coming out from all walks of life who have no political affiliation at all because they see that what is happening is not right; they are standing against human rights violations. I am very happy to be part of this movement.”
Watch PAHRA’s Facebook Live of the event, also featuring talks from PAHRA Chairperson and PhilRights Executive Director, Prof. Nymia Pimentel-Simbulan and CHR Chairperson Chito Gascon.
