On Community-based Dialogues
CBD holds Top-Level Policy Dialogue

Key resource persons presented and discussed the topic representing the Commission on Human Rights’ focal person for the CBD project Commissioner Karen Gomez-Dumpit; Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer, Mr. Adrian Santos and Assistant Secretary, Mr. Manuel Felix; Philippine National Police Human Rights Affairs Office (PNP-HRAO) Chief, Police Brig. Gen. Vincent Calanoga; Armed Forces of the Philippines Center for Law on Armed Conflict (AFP-CLOAC) Director, Brig. Gen. Joel Alejandro Nacnac; and HR Online Philippines Officer, Mr. Darwin Mendiola. The Alternative Law Groups (ALG) National Coordinator, Atty. Sheila Formento, gave the synthesis and closing remarks. ALG served as the moderator of the activity and presented an overview of the CBD project and the TLPD. 

TLPD participants

HSF

Thirty-eight (38) participants joined the TLPD coming from the security sector; DILG led by its Assistant Secretary for Peace and Order, Mr. Manuel Felix; CSOs from the network of ALG, and the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) led by its Secretary-General, Mr. Ellecer Carlos; CHR-PAO led by its Director, Atty. Gemma Parojinog; and officers of Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany (HSF) led by its Resident Representative, Mr. Goetz Heinicke.  The dialogue between the participants and resource persons was highly engaging and interesting as it gave an opportunity to raise and clarify certain problems and challenges being experienced by stakeholders on the ground and also by concerned government agencies.  It was underscored that it is good to keep communication lines open towards build trust and confidence in attaining sustainable solutions.

In light of the comments, observations and concerns raised, the DILG shared their responses to human rights issues, to wit: (1) establishment of the Emergency Operations Center, (2) internal regulatory mechanisms, and (3) rights-based approach in policy issuances.  Asst. Sec. Felix “commits DILG itself as a partner in ensuring human rights are protected and respected, even amidst the law enforcement challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to work with our LGUs, the police, the CHR, and other stakeholders.”

CHR’s Commissioner Dumpit presented results of its research/survey on COVID and HR titled “The 2020 Annual Report on the Human Rights Situation in the Philippines:  Rights during a Pandemic.”  The report covered economic, social and cultural rights (right to education, rights of medical workers, rights of migrant workers, rights of indigenous people, rights of women and girl children); collective and sectoral rights (rights of children, rights of persons with disability, rights of older persons, rights of persons deprived of liberty, rights of LBDTQIA+); civil and political rights (rights of Human Rights Defenders, right to information, extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture cases, arbitrary arrests, revival of death penalty; and recommendations to DILG.

HR Online Philippines officer, Mr. Mendiola shared results of their consultations on COVID’s impact on freedoms of expression, assembly and expression following the “UN guidelines on human rights protection during pandemic.”  It covered arrest and detention, torture and ill treatment, red tagging of HRDs (Human Rights Defenders), deprivation of the right to livelihood and income, war on drugs, encroachment to press freedom, discrimination against health frontliners, and denial of health care.  He noted that “human rights should be at the center of the State’s approach in addressing the numerous problems and challenges posed by the COVID - 19 pandemic, and should ensure that human dignity should not be compromised and undermined.”

AFP CLOAC’s Director, Brig. Gen. Nacnac shared AFP’s programs and policies on the implementation of COVID-19 protocols.  These include recent engagements with stakeholders; approved policies; trainings held; and advocacies conducted on HR & IHL, and other activities such as research study & publications.

PNP’s Brig. Gen. Calanoga shared the PNP’s programs and policies on the implementation of COVID-19 protocols.

The CBD project is a partnership of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Alternative Law Groups (ALG), and Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), with support from Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF).