PHUKET - Despite having no authority to penalize member-countries for human rights violations, the newly-formed ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights (AIGCHR) won't be so bad after all, according to a Philippine civil society leader. 

“While it [AIGCHR] may not have the power to sanction, it has the power to catalyze, mobilize people to increase international pressure the way UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston did,” Wigberto Tañada, representative of the working group on the ASEAN human rights body told abs-cbnnews.com/Newsbreak at the sidelines of the 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting.

In 2007, Alston held the Philippine government accountable for the spate of political killings in the country. Administration allies slammed his findings as myopic and biased.

Following the publication of his report, however, the Arroyo administration beefed up its institutional response to the problem, and recently abolished the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG).

The IALAG was formed in 2007 to probe human rights violations, but was instead criticized for its crackdown on militant groups.

But while the AIGCHR may not be able to lash out at the Philippines for its human rights violations the way Alston did, Tañada believes that the body’s mandate for heightened human rights education, information dissemination and capacity-building measures within the region could push the Philippines to up the ante in protecting human rights. 

On this aspect, Tañada said the AIGCHR – criticized as a toothless tiger – actually has “some teeth.”

Transparent selection  

With the mandate of the AIGCHR set in place, all eyes would now be on the selection process for its members. The screening and appointment of commissioners rests on all 10 ASEAN member-states.

Carlo Cleofe, information advocacy and international lobby officer of Task Force Detainees Philippines (TFDP), said the challenge now for the Philippines is to make the selection of the commissioner transparent and inclusive.

The system of selection that ASEAN has adopted broadened the playing field as it gave room for civil society organizations and experts to apply for the position. Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said this has made the selection of the commissioners an “open-ended competition.”

Kasit explained that this process is already being done in Thailand for its national human rights institution. A public announcement is made about the vacancies while a screening committee assesses the qualifications of the contenders.  

Cleofe lamented that in the Philippines, the public is kept in the dark on the selection of the members of its own Commission on Human Rights. He added that this leaves no opportunity for participation by stakeholders.  

Vigilance

Yuyun Wahyuningrum, East Asia programme manager for the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development noted that the Philippines, along with Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia, have committed to hold a selection process for the AIGCHR commissioners.

She added though that the public has to be vigilant in making sure that the respective governments abide by their commitment.

The Philippine working group on human rights agreed. “In keeping with the ideals of a people-oriented ASEAN, the governments of member-states are highly encouraged to adopt a participatory and transparent process in selecting their respective representatives,” they said in their report to the ASEAN senior officials.

They also emphasized that all the member-states should appoint commissioners who are not only competent, but more importantly, independent.