MANILA, Philippines — Almost a year after the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) decided to provide the Philippine government technical assistance instead of launching a full-scale investigation into alleged violations of human rights, a global rights watchdog is urging the international body to conduct the probe. In a briefer on Thursday, the rights group Civicus Monitor said that even after the UNHRC passed a resolution urging High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet to support the Philippines in fulfilling its international human rights obligations, incidents of rights violations and abuses have persisted. “To the UN Human Rights Council: Establish an independent investigative mechanism, mandated to conduct an in-depth investigation into human rights violations and abuses in the Philippines, with a view to contributing to accountability and justice for victims in line with recommendations from the High Commissioner for Human Rights,” the rights watchdog said. Conduct prompt, thorough, impartial and effective investigations into the killings of human rights activists, lawyers and journalists and bring the perpetrators to justice,” the group suggested. The high death toll from legitimate drug operations and in the counter-insurgency efforts have cast doubt on the commitment of the country to uphold human rights.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 30, 2021 03:33 UTC