Malacañang acknowledged the role of human rights defenders, saying the moment they stop talking is the time when such organizations have become less effective.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chair Loretta Ann Rosales labeled President Duterte as the biggest enemy of human rights while the world commemorates Human Rights Day on Thursday, December 10.
In his Thursday presser, Roque said the Palace understands that the CHR and other human rights groups call out governments because they want them to comply with the law.
"Matagal ko nang nakasama si Chair Etta (Rosales). Lahat naman ng Presidente sinasabihan niya (I have worked with Chair Etta and she tells the same thing to all presidents)," he said.
"The reason is they want to prompt government to still improve their level of compliance with human rights law," he added.
According to Roque, it's the job of rights groups to call the attention of any government.
"Talagang trabaho po 'yan ng mga (It's really the job of) human rights defenders to call the attention of the government," he said.
"The moment human rights groups cease to castigate governments for their alleged violations of human rights is the time when we have less effective human rights organizations," he added.
Cooperation
Meanwhile, Roque said that the Philippines continues to work with different agencies and organizations, both local and international, that advances human rights in order to improve the efficiency of the country's law enforcers.
"Importante po talaga na paigtingin pa natin ang kakayahan ng ating kapulisan na bigyan ng katugunan ang mga kriminal, at the same time, respetuhin po ang karapatang pantao ng lahat (It's important to improve the capacity of the police to address crimes and at the same time respect human rights)," he said.
President Duterte has a long-standing beef with human rights groups for supposedly only caring for the lives of criminals and not the police.