The visit of United Nations Special Rapporteur (UNSR) Irene Khan to the country this week will enable the government to showcase to the international community its initiatives to protect the rights of every Filipinos, according to a government task force.
Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., executive director of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), said this as he welcomed Khan, UNSR on freedom of opinion and expression, ahead of her arrival on Tuesday, Jan. 23.
"This visit provides an excellent opportunity for NTF-ELCAC and other government agencies to engage with the Special Rapporteur and highlight the government's efforts in protecting and promoting the rights of every human being in the country," Torres said.
He said the task force is looking forward to hold a "constructive dialogue and collaboration" with Khan, as she is set to stay until Feb. 2 upon the invitation of the government to observe the status of freedom of expression in the country.
"With this visit, we aim to foster an environment where diverse viewpoints can coexist while upholding the principles of truth, respect for human rights, and ethical journalism," Torres noted.
Khan, in her X (formerly Twitter) account, invited civil society, human rights organizations, media organizations, experts and academics, and other interested stakeholders and individuals to share any information or insights on national normative framework regarding the freedom of opinion and expression in the Philippines including the right to information, regulations related to disinformation and hate speech, and their implementation.
She will also delve on media freedom by identifying national laws, regulations and practice regarding the independence, freedom, pluralism and diversity of print and broadcast media, as well as the safety of journalists and media workers.
Part of her agenda is also to determine the status of internet freedom in the country and how laws and practice regarding digital communications, privacy in communications, access to digital communications are being implemented.
She will also hold discussions with various civic organizations, religious groups, indigenous peoples and marginalized communities to get their insights on the status of vulnerable sectors.
For his part, Torres said that the NTF-ELCAC, once controversial after being accused of red-tagging leftist groups and dissenters, said it now "advocates the whole-of-nation approach to attain lasting peace" as it is "committed to upholding the rule of law and strongly condemns all forms of abuse or violence against women and children."
"The National Task Force is also dedicated to transparency and responsible communications focusing mainly in disseminating accurate and reliable information, countering false narratives, and combating disinformation to protect the Filipino people from the threats of terrorism and violent extremism," he stressed.