MANILA, Philippines — A national inquiry from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has concluded that the government “purposely” engaged in activities that prevented the fulfillment of an international declaration protecting human rights workers. According to CHR’s Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in the Philippines released to media organizations on Friday, the government failed to adopt the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders — a declaration adopted by UN member-states in 1998. ADVERTISEMENTThe Declaration was meant to shield human rights defenders, which have been vulnerable to various threats — whether due to wartime or government pressure. On the one hand, States must refrain from violating human rights’ and actively renounce and desist from conducting activities that infringe on basic human rights,” CHR added, citing a note from the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders. Eventually, some of Duterte’s supporters also claimed that the body has been siding with communist rebels as they supposedly more keen on defending human rights workers affiliated with leftist groups.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 10, 2020 12:22 UTC