President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has been urged to adhere strictly to the international standards in the appointment of new top officials of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
In a statement, the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF-NHRI) said the appointments should comply with the minimum standards under the Paris Principles.
The Paris Principles, which is the agreed universal standards for national human rights institutions (NHRIs) endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly, set out the minimum requirements for the process of selection and appointment of the leadership of an NHRI.
“These include requirements that vacancies are advertised widely, that civil society organizations and other groups are consulted throughout the selection process, and that appointments are based on merit,” the APF-NHRI stressed.
“This is an important responsibility, as an effective NHRI relies on a strong, dedicated and capable leadership to ensure it fulfils its mandate to protect and promote human rights,” it said.
The APF-NHRI, in which the CHR is a longstanding member, said that doing so would indicate a commitment by the government of the Philippines to the institutional protection and promotion of human rights for all Filipinos.
The CHR has been accredited with an “A-status” by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), and its next review will be in 2023.
“The selection and appointment of the leadership of the NHRI is one of the most important issues of focus under the NHRI accreditation system, and we expect the upcoming appointments to the CHR to be an important part of its review,” APF-NHRI added.
The Philippines’ CHR was created under the 1987 Constitution and was established on May 5, 1987 by virtue of Executive Order No. 163.
The Commission is mandated to conduct investigations on human rights violations against marginalized and vulnerable sectors of the society, involving civil and political rights.
The CHR’s Fifth Commission, which ran from May 5, 2015 to May 5, 2022, is composed of Chairperson Leah C. Tanodra-Armamento and Commissioners Karen S. Gomez-Dumpit, Gwendolyn LL. Pimentel-Gana, and Roberto Eugenio T. Cadiz.
Armamento was appointed last February 16 for the unexpired term of the late Chairperson Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon who passed away on Oct. 9, 2021.