Remulla

Remulla to UN body: PBBM ‘refocused’ war on illegal drugs

October 6, 2022 Hector Lawas 372 views

PH cites gains to address human rights

DEPARTMENT of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday told the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Switzerland that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) has refocused the anti-illegal drugs campaign by tackling the source of the problem.

“He has stated that criminal masterminds must be apprehended and punished, not small-scale users on the street. He has emphasized the need for rehabilitation, prevention, education, and assistance to victims and their families,” Remulla said during the UNHRC’s 51st Session.

Remulla, who led the Philippine Government delegation in his opening remarks, said, “The Philippines, through the unifying leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is undertaking transformational reform of its justice and law enforcement sectors.”

These reforms, according to Remulla, are being implemented to ensure the rule of law and the promotion and protection of the human rights of all its citizens.

“We are on a new pathway towards an inclusive and empowering ecosystem of social justice. President Marcos is a consensus-builder and has a deeply human approach to law enforcement and the anti-illegal drug campaign,” Remulla told the UNHRC’s 51st Session.

Remulla bared that Mr. Marcos reminded the Philippine National Police (PNP) that the use of force must always be reasonable, accountable, justifiable, and only utilized when necessary.

“An internal disciplinary program has been enacted to right the wrongs of erring law enforcement officials that abuse their power and the public trust,” Remulla said.

At the same time, Remulla disclosed the DOJ-led reforms aimed at changing the culture of the judicial and law enforcement system, which have produced certain flaws and delays in the carriage of justice.

They are also in line and, in some cases, go beyond international standards and best practices, he continued.

“You see, at the Department of Justice, we are serious about human rights. We want to inject human rights into every step of our law enforcement and judicial processes. This assures that no one is left behind and that the wheels of justice truly serve all without distinction.”

“It makes for a solid foundation of a civilized, democratic society – which is at the heart of Filipino culture, identity, and history. We are reforming our system to deliver what our people deserve – real justice in real-time,” he said.

Furthermore, Remulla told the UNHRC that the government had decentralized the congested prisons in the Philippines, with the recent release of exactly 371 persons deprived of liberty (PDL).

“Just last month, 371 persons deprived of their liberty, many of whom had already served their sentences if not for procedural oversights, were released from prison. We are decentralizing our congested prison system. I am personally committed to continuing regular releases and aim to have 5,000 released by June next year,” Remulla said.

He added that the DOJ, along with other government agencies, are reinforcing the interfaces between prosecutors and law enforcement – streamlining investigative and accountability processes and having them work together during case build-up investigation.

This will improve the quality of cases that reach the courts, chances of success in prosecution, the certainty of punishment, and deterrence against criminality, he said.

Remulla continued that the DOJ is ready to provide needed support and security to witnesses with a more comprehensive witness protection program so that fear will not impede justice.

For cases involving women and children, Remulla bared that in the coming months, the DOJ will further improve the current prosecution success rate of 88% for cases involving women and 96% for cases involving children.

“In this light, we will continue to engage constructively with the Member States, the UN, and various stakeholders on human rights – within the parameters of our own reality and institutions – where true ownership belongs and only through which sustainability, scale and impact are attained, ” Remulla said.

Remulla likewise gave updates on the work of the Review Panel created by the DOJ to re-examine cases related to the anti-illegal drug campaign. A total of 302 cases have thus far been referred by the Panel to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

He invited civil society organizations to work with the government to provide information for filing cases. He assured that the DOJ would bolster the witness protection program so that “fear will not impede justice.”

UN Member States that took the floor acknowledged the Philippines’ constructive engagement with the international community on human rights.

They cited the progress by the government in strengthening domestic accountability mechanisms and institutions.

The important role of the Philippines’ independent Commission on Human Rights was widely noted.

They especially welcomed the justice sector reform agenda presented by Remulla.

They also pledged continuing support to the UN Joint Program on Human Rights (UNJP), a three-year technical cooperation program that provides capacity-building to national institutions in six areas: strengthening domestic investigation and accountability mechanisms; data gathering on alleged police violations; civic space, and engagement with civil society and the Commission on Human Rights; a national mechanism for reporting and follow-up; counter-terrorism legislation; and human rights-based approaches to drug control.

Remulla stressed that the Philippine government’s commitments and programs on human rights will continue and be expanded, even as the UNJP will eventually conclude its work in 2024.

On October 10 to 11, 2022, Remulla will lead the Philippine delegation in a dialogue on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights with the UNHRC, and the 73rd Session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme, organized by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees. By Hector Lawas and Cristina Lee-Pisco

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