Solons Reiterate Call for Enactment of Bills on Human Rights

As the world marked the 60th year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) last December 10, two legislators called anew for the enactment of bills on human rights.

BY RONALYN V. OLEA
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Bulatlat

As the world marked the 60th year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) last December 10, two legislators called anew for the enactment of bills on human rights.

In separate statements, Representatives Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III, chairperson of the House Committee on Human Rights and House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo called on Congress to fast track the passage of the Human Rights Defenders’ Protection Act (House Bill 5600), Marcos Human Rights Victims Compensation Act, the Anti-Enforced Disappearance Bill (HB 2263), and the Anti-Torture Bill (HB 2619).

Human rights defenders

Speaking at the media forum of Karapatan (Alliance for the Advacement of People’s Rights), December 9, Tañada, representative of the fourth district of Quezon province, expressed alarm over the intensifying attacks on human rights workers. “The people who are tasked to oversee the human rights of civilians are they themselves being attacked.”

Representative Lorenzo Tañada III talks about the status of human rights-related bills at a media forum organized by Karapatan, Dec. 9

December 9 is also the tenth year of the United Nations (UN) Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

Tañada noted the filing of criminal charges against human rights workers and activists. He said the House Committee on Human Rights would look into the case of labor lawyer Remigio Saladero Jr.

Saladero is among the 72 activists charged with multiple murder and frustrated multiple murder for their alleged participation in a raid by the New People’s Army in Mindoro Oriental in March 2006. Saladero and five other accused have been arrested and detained at the Calapan City Distict Jail.

Three human rights defenders are also named respondents in the Mindoro case. Charged with murder are Doris Cuario, Karapatan-Southern Tagalog secretary general; Dina Capetillo, Karapatan-Batangas coordinator; and, Karen Ortiz, deputy secretary general of the Cavite Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace (CEMJP).