The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has "vehemently condemned" the attempt on the life of Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission (BHRC) Provincial Director Ariff A. Lao last Saturday, Aug. 6, in Cotabato City.
CHR Executive Director Jacqueline Ann de Guia said the "brazen" attempt on the life of Lao, a human rights defender, “only shows that the climate of hostility faced by human rights workers is still precarious.”
De Guia said: "We call on all concerned authorities to take swift action to ensure accountability on this case and all similar violations and threats against those working in defense of human rights. Preventive mechanisms must also be expediently put in place to curb further threats and violence.”
The CHR said that an unidentified gunman shot Lao's vehicle while it was parked along Sinsuat Avenue in Cotabato City last Aug. 6 around 7 p.m. The gunman targeted the driver's side of the vehicle. Lao was unharmed.
It said the commission has started its own probe.
De Guia said the CHR has requested the new administration to take proactive measures to reverse the "chilling" effect on human rights work given the number of attacks and violations suffered by human rights defenders.
"Protecting the rights and welfare of human rights workers will genuinely show the government’s commitment in upholding its human rights obligations," she said.
Also, the CHR urged the 19th Congress to refile and prioritize the bill on protecting human rights workers and advocates.
"Concrete legal protection and mechanisms for human rights workers is vital in reviving the human rights situation in the country towards upholding the rights of all, particularly the most vulnerable ones," De Guia said.