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Saturday, May 27, 2017
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THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR), created by then President Corazon Aquino, aims to embody the value that the State puts on the dignity of every human person. It aims to symbolize the government’s respect for human rights.
Among its functions is to investigate complaints on any form of human rights violation involving civil and political rights; provide appropriate legal measures for the protection of human rights of all Filipinos; recommend to Congress effective measures to promote human rights; monitor the Philippine government’s compliance with international treaties on human rights; and request the assistance of any department, bureau, office or agency in the performance of its functions.
Sadly, the CHR is toothless to fulfill its functions. The most that it has been doing is investigate complaints on human rights violations. It does not have the power to prosecute. Its investigations mostly end up with “recommendations.”
It is within the CHR’s functions to monitor whether the government is respecting human rights or not. Unfortunately, it is not within the CHR’s function to prosecute the government for failing to observe and enforce laws that would promote and protect human rights. All it can do is to criticize the government and make “recommendations.”
With limited powers, the CHR could not live up to its purpose. Militant groups have recorded hundreds of political killings and enforced disappearances since its creation in the mid-‘80s. The CHR is helpless in the face of all these. Making matters worse is the fact that most of the suspects in these cases are members of the military and the police.
The way the government treats CHR now, its mission to protect human rights has become tougher.
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