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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Friday. September 15, 2017
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ILOILO – The House of Representative cannot abolish the Commission on Human Rights, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. who had served as congressman representing the 3rd District from 2001 to 2010.
Citing Section 17 of the 1987 Constitution, Defensor said CHR is an independent office.
“It cannot be abolished even if the House of Representatives will give it a budget of only P1,000,” said Defensor.
The governor, however, said he was not surprised that the Lower House approved a measly budget for CHR, recalling a time when a government agency he did not name was appropriated a P1 budget by Congress, too.
“Such drastic budget reduction is a way of telling a department or office it has to be abolished,” said Defensor.
The CHR has angered President Rodrigo Duterte for criticizing his brutal war on drugs.
The commission’s proposed budget for 2018 is P678 million. Defensor said it may still get its budget.
Congress’ deliberation of CHR’s budget is not yet over, he said, and the Senate may take a position different from the Lower House’s.
Defensor said the commission’s proposed budget may be approved in the bicameral conference.
“I believe majority of the senators will restore the proposed budget…they will provide a budget that is sufficient to maintain the operation of CHR. Whether they like (Commissioner Chito) Gascon or not, whether Gascon will resign or not, CHR stays,” he added.
The only way to abolish CHR is to amend the Constitution that created it, Defensor said.
The governor’s son, Cong. Arthur Defensor Jr. (Iloilo, 3rd District) was among the congressmen who voted to give CHR a P1,000 budget.
“It was the motion submitted by the majority. Upod ako sa mayorya, especially that I am a member of the Committee on Rules, I am bound to support the motion,” said the younger Defensor.
The measly budget is the Lower House’s way of sending CHR a “message” in “bold terms”, admitted the congressman.
“Why is CHR focusing only on the state (as human rights violator),” he asked.
A private person or a party that is not an agent of the state can also commit human rights violations, he stressed./PN
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