CHR Chair Chito Gascon LYN RILLON
Senators on Wednesday vowed to restore the P678-million proposed budget of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), which the House of Representatives slashed to just P1,000 on Tuesday to scuttle the agency for criticizing President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 bloody war on drugs.
Mr. Duterte frowned on the House move but blamed CHR Chair Jose Luis Martin Gascon for what the President said was his partiality for the 鈥測ellows,鈥� a reference to the Liberal Party (LP), the country鈥檚 main opposition group.
鈥淗e had it coming,鈥� the President said on Wednesday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 because Gascon is really proyellow. He opens his mouth in a most inappropriate way and he conducts the business of being CHR. He doesn鈥檛 know anything.鈥�
Mr. Duterte acknowledged that the CHR 鈥渋s really an organ of government and a constitutional body鈥� and said he did not intend to bring down institutions.
鈥淢aybe someday, we might review their decision,鈥� he said, referring to the House action. 鈥淎s for myself, I am not. I鈥檓 not here to destroy institutions.鈥�
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto gave assurance that the chamber would restore the CHR鈥檚 2018 budget as proposed by the Department of Budget and Management.
鈥淚t may even need more resources considering the number of extrajudicial killings,鈥� Recto said, referring to the rising number of killings in Mr. Duterte鈥檚 war on drugs.
鈥淲e will not allow this to pass in the Senate even if this means the 2018 budget will not be passed,鈥� said Sen. Francis Pangilinan, the LP president.
鈥淭his leads us on a direct path to dictatorship,鈥� he added.
Senate to stand its ground
Independent Sen. Panfilo Lacson, vice chair of the finance committee and sponsor of the CHR鈥檚 proposed budget for 2018, said late Tuesday that the Senate would stand its ground.
鈥淚 happen to be the sponsor of the CHR budget in the Senate, along with a few other agencies like the [Department of National Defense, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao], etc. I accept the challenge,鈥� Lacson said in a post on Twitter.
He asked why the House version of the budget stayed at P3.8 trillion even after the CHR budget had been cut down to P1,000. 鈥淚t鈥檚 interesting to find out [what happened to the P678 million],鈥� he said.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon promised that the LP would support Lacson in fighting for the CHR鈥檚 budget.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 21 senators had pledged to block the House move to scuttle the CHR.
Voting 119-32, the House passed the 2018 budget bill on second reading late on Tuesday, allocating only P1,000 for the CHR.
War on drugs
In recent weeks, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Mr. Duterte鈥檚 right-hand man in the House, had been threatening to gut the CHR鈥檚 budget for criticizing the killings in the President鈥檚 war on drugs.
The CHR is investigating some of the deaths of at least 3,800 drug suspects killed by police in what they have described as 鈥渓egitimate鈥� operations.
The UN special rapporteur on summary executions, Agnes Callamard, said late on Tuesday that the CHR 鈥渋s a crucial institution for the Philippines for human rights protection, the rule of law, accountability.鈥�
鈥淚t cannot deliver on its mandate without an appropriate budget, particularly at a time when it is confronted with allegations of massive human rights violations throughout the country, and including, but not only, in the context of the ill-advised, destructive war on drugs,鈥� Callamard said.
Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director of New York-based Human Rights Watch, on Wednesday said the House action was 鈥減art of the Duterte administration鈥檚 attempt to prevent independent institutions to check its abuses, particularly in the context of the brutal drug war that has claimed the lives of thousands, including dozens of children.鈥�
Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos said the House action gave 鈥渢he wrong message that their priority is not to value, not promote and not to preserve human life.鈥�
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo slammed the congressional decision, saying 鈥渢here is no true government by the people if people鈥檚 rights are not safeguarded.鈥�
The Movement Against Tyranny said the House decision showed that the Duterte administration would 鈥渘ot tolerate even a modicum of accountability for its horrible human rights record.鈥�
Bishop Modesto Villasanta of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines in Surigao del Sur province said the House decision reflected the 鈥渂ad politics in our country.鈥�
Agusan del Sur Board Member Santiago Cane Jr. said the House attempt to abolish the CHR was an assault on the Constitution 鈥渂y the very people who took their oath to protect and preserve it. 鈥�With reports from Tina G. Santos, Chris Panganiban, Julie S. Alipala and AFP