MANILA - The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is prepared to secure Filipino-American activist Melissa Roxas who is set to return to Manila Monday night. 

Speaking to ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) on Monday, CHR chair Leila de Lima said the CHR will give protective custody to Roxas, who had accused the military of abducting and torturing her in Tarlac on May 19.

Roxas was released a week later.

The CHR will hold a hearing on Roxas's case this Thursday, while the Court of Appeals (CA) will tackle her petition for a writ of amparo later this month.

“The CHR can give protective custody through [rights group] Karapatan," de Lima said.

The armed forces has branded Roxas's alleged abduction and torture as "stage-managed."

But de Lima said Roxas should not be judged until she gives her testimony.

"The statement of Melissa has so many details to say it was fabricated. The military says it was stage-managed, but there are too many details there,” de Lima said. “She must be a good liar to concoct all these. But I'm not concluding at this point, that's why I want her to testify in person."

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) maintains none of its troops were involved in the alleged abduction and torture of Roxas.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner also told ANC on Monday the AFP is cooperating with the human rights commission's probe into Roxas's case.

Brawner added that the CHR probe is a chance for the AFP to clear its name.

Asked if the AFP was open to a third-party probe, Brawner said: “Yes, of course. In fact, we have been working closely with the CHR and we have been open with the investigations that they are conducting.

“As of now, our stand is still the same: we are claiming that none of our units have been involved in this abduction. But then of course, we cannot discount the fact that if there is really that possibility that some of our men have been involved, then we will not tolerate this," Brawner said. -- reports from ABS-CBN News Channel