US to continue assisting PH in human rights challenges

THE UNITED STATES government vowed to continue assisting the Philippine government in addressing a wide range of human rights challenges.

This was contained in a statement released by the US Embassy on Feb. 28.

The US said the assistance would be directed toward judicial efficiency and the reduction of case backlogs, law enforcement and prosecutorial capacity building, and sexual orientation and gender identity awareness.

On February 27, 2014 United States Secretary of State John Kerry released the 2013 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (“the Human Rights Reports.”)

The secretary is required each year to provide the United States Congress with “a full and complete report regarding… the status of internationally recognized human rights.” In accordance with this mandate, the Human Rights Reports describe the status of internationally recognized human rights, including those set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in countries around the world.

The 2013 Human Rights Report for the Philippines both acknowledges the headway made by the Government of the Philippines on important human rights issues in the past year and reiterates the continuing challenges that lay ahead. The report highlights that in 2013, there were three convictions in cases of extrajudicial killings. It also notes the continued work of the Inter-Agency Committee on extra judicial killings (EJKs) and other grave human rights violations established by Administrative Order 35 as well as progress made in key high-level corruption investigations and cases.

The reports further states that “[t]he most significant human rights problems continued to be extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances undertaken by security forces; a dysfunctional criminal justice system notable for poor cooperation between police and investigators, few prosecutions, and lengthy procedural delays; and widespread official corruption and abuse of power.”

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip S. Goldberg, underscoring the findings in the report, noted that “After meeting recently with Justice Secretary De Lima, NBI Director Mendez, and Chairperson Rosales at the Commission on Human Rights, it’s clear to me that extrajudicial killings remain foremost among the human rights challenges in the Philippines. I am encouraged by the Philippine’s recent EJK convictions and urge that the government spare nothing in its efforts to protect the right of free expression and bring those responsible for these horrendous crimes to justice.”

The entire 2013 Philippines Human Rights Report is available via the following Internet URL http://www.humanrights.gov. Additional information is available on the U.S. Embassy’s web site at http://philippines.usembassy.gov. (MTE)

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