Arroyo forms Presidential Human Rights Commission
MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has created a Presidential Human Rights Commission despite the existence of a Commission on Human Rights (CHR) whose officials are appointed by the president.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said President Arroyo has directed the creation of a “Presidential Human Rights Commission,” which has the same objective as CHR: to protect the basic rights of Filipinos.
"It will work closely with CHR, government and non-government organizations on promotion of human rights,” said Remonde.
The CHR was borne out of the Presidential Commission on Human Rights formed by the late President Corazon Aquino in 1986 right after the fall of the Marcos government, w hich had been accused of rampant human rights violations.
President Arroyo has picked Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita as chair of the commission, which will also be composed of a retired Supreme Court justice, a Catholic bishop, an Ulama, and a representative from the media industry.
Remonde said they are still in the process of selecting the remaining members of the new commission.
The creation of the commission coincides with the controversies over martial law imposed on Maguindanao last December 5.
A military spokesman, however, assured that martial law may be lifted before the end of the year.
Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman, said that based on the military's initial assessment, some of the objectives in declaring martial law have already been accomplished.
Brawner said a total of 67 suspects in the alleged rebellion have already been arrested, including former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and other members of the powerful political clan.
He said peace and order in the province seems to have been restored, and they are slowly restoring the judicial system in the areas affected by the martial law proclamation.
The military spokesman added that several arms cache, including firearms allegedly used in the massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan town last November 23, have already been seized during several raids and search operations, majority of which were conducted in the Ampatuans' stronghold in Shariff Aguak town.
Brawner said there has been no let up in efforts to look for more hidden arms cache, as they want to take advantage of the martial law declaration.
He said the military and the police have also intensified efforts to locate more than 160 suspects in the massacre. With a report from Ron Gagalac, ABS-CBN News
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Human Rights Commission
This brought a smile to my face. This new Human Rights Commission is to contradict whatever De Lima's CHR findings, especially involving Government's Security Forces' abuses. Whatever her objective in mind this will not benefit the public but confuse the heck out of everything. I think she has hidden agenda that will benefit her government financially from foreign governments/agencies.....
wag naman mamatay agad...
marami pang kasong haharapin kasama ang asawa at ang panganay nyang anak, at ang mga main galamay... hayaan nating tumakbo sa kongreso.. (kung meron mang sanang eleksyon). lumalabo na kase martial law is being used as a tool of her stragedy. at di rin naman sya demonyo kase nakakapasok pa naman sa simbahan. baka diguise yong pumasok dun hehehe.... basta ready ako lagi at merong ako holy water para sa kanya... iba na yong laging handa hehehe.
ARROYO Number 1 magnanakaw at human rights violators
Ikaw dapat ang imbistigahan Arroyo dahil nangunguna ka sa listahan ng human rights violators...may araw ka rin hayup ka...mamatay ka na sana demonyo ka....
what for mrs arroyo?
please lang, wag nyo na po guluhin ang sitwasyon. di ba kaya ng CHR ang tabaho nila? o di nyo ba pinagkakatiwalaaan sila? gastos lang yan inday. hayaan nyo na lang kaya na magtrabaho ang CHR. at least nagtatrabaho ang ahensyang eto para sa masa. tama na po ang mga palpak na style ninyo. di na po biro ang paghihirap na dinudulot ng kapalpakan ng administrasyon ninyo sa nakalipas na 8 taon. mag-focus na lang po kayo sa pagkakandidato ninyo sa kongreso kase yan lang naman talaga ang importante sa inyong pamilya sa mga panahong eto. eto lang naman ang katotohanan: pinapayaman nyo lang ng husto ang kaanak ninyo habang lumala ang kahirapan sa bansa natin. imagine lahat ng retired generals nilagay nyo sa cabinet post agad... bakit wala na bang ibang mas magaling sa kanila? sa mga ginawa ninyo eto ngayon ang resulta.. you owe a lot to us filipinos. remember karma lang yan... di man sa inyo, baka sa mga kaanak nyo. kung hindi kayo naniniwala bahala napo kayo. MONEY is not everything in life.