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  3. Top Level Policy Dialogue tackles “State of Emergency: Implications to Security Sector, Human Rights Defenders and Communities”

Community-based Dialogue Project (CBD)
Top Level Policy Dialogue tackles “State of Emergency: Implications to Security Sector, Human Rights Defenders and Communities”

Under the auspices of the project “Community-based Dialogue Sessions on Human Rights Promotion and Protection between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, and Civil Society Organizations and Local Communities,” a Top Level Policy Dialogue was held on the topic “State of Emergency: Implications to Security Sector, Human Rights Defenders and Communities” last 22 September 2016 in Manila.

HSF

The project is a partnership among the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) through its Human rights Office (HRO) and Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations (J7), Philippine National Police (PNP) through its Human Rights Affairs Office (HRAO), Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHR), Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF), Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) and the Alternative Law Groups (ALG, Lead Project Implementor), with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany (HSF).

 

HSF

Atty. Marlon J. Manuel, National Coordinator of the Alternative Law Groups gave a comprehensive and insightful presentation on the State of Emergency and the Commander-in-Chief’s Powers under the Constitution in light of Proclamation No. 55 (s. 2016) issued by President Rodrigo Duterte on 04 September 2016. He prepared a comparative matrix of Proclamation No. 55 with that of Proclamation No. 1017, which was issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on February 24, 2006 and discussed the nuances of each proclamation for better understanding of the participants.

For the Panel Discussion, key panelists from the AFP Civil Relations Service, PNP Legal Service and the CHR shared their ideas on the presentation.

HSF

Equally important, the forum provided the opportunity for a collective discussion on the practical implications of Proclamation No. 55 and the existing state of emergency on the police, the military, the CHR, human rights defenders, and local communities. There was a healthy and meaningful exchange of viewpoints and experiences during the Open Forum.

The forum was well attended and well received by the participants representing the security sector, CHR, civil society groups, international organizations, and the media.

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