MANILA - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday that the Philippines, just like the US, is “not perfect” when it comes to protecting human rights.

“It is important that we constantly work towards protecting human rights. It is difficult even in my own country. We are not perfect. I will be the first one to say that,” Clinton told students during a forum organized by ABS-CBN at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) in Manila.

She said one of important issue she discussed with President Arroyo was the state of human rights in the country, adding that she is aware of the “questions here in the Philippines.”

“But I’m also aware that there have also been important efforts to deal with human rights problems. So it’s not perfect here like it is not perfect anywhere,” she said.

Based on recommendations of the US State Department, Clinton said she pointed areas for improvement in the Philippine government’s efforts to protect human rights during her meeting on Thursday with President Arroyo and top officials.

The US official added that she also highlighted the importance of focusing not only on human rights violations, but also promoting workers’ rights.

“We will continue to raise questions, but we’ll also continue, as what a friend does, to offer whatever assistance we can,” she said.

Be vigilant

She also urged civil society in the country to continue to be vigilant about human rights violations.

“It is up to civil society to constantly be making human rights an issue inside your country,” Clinton said.

Karapatan, a human rights group, has alleged 1,013 cases of extrajudicial killings from 2001 up to the first three months of 2009.

Clinton also stressed during the forum the importance of having an independent judiciary and a military and police force that respects human rights.

With all justices in the Philippine Supreme Court now appointees of President Arroyo, it has been described as an "Arroyo Court."

Mrs. Arroyo has also been supportive of retired military general Jovito Palparan, who has been labeled as a “butcher” by leftist activist groups. 

UN special rapporteur Philip Alston and the Melo Commission have released reports citing the military’s primary role in killings and enforced disappearances.