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House Bill 10576, also known as the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill, is unnecessary because all of the rights and freedoms stated in it are already enshrined in the country’s Constitution.

“All of the rights and freedoms identified in the bill as being in need of protection are already adequately protected by our Constitution and particular legislation. So, are we suggesting that these rights don’t exist and that they need to be emphasized in a different law? Because, in our opinion, and in the opinion of millions of Filipinos, all of these rights are in place and being enjoyed “In a virtual press conference on Monday, Undersecretary Severo Catura, the spokesperson for International Affairs, Peace Process, and Human Rights Concerns for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC), said.

According to Catura, the bill does not protect genuine human rights advocates, but rather permits “pretenders” to establish an “environment that encourages lying and deception.”

“It goes completely against the grain of what is being established in terms of human rights values,” he continued.

If passed by Congress, Catura believes the measure will have an “unfavorable influence” on the country’s overall fight against local terrorism and the peace process.

“It’s also a slap in the face to the United Nations (UN), whose human rights policies are either perverted or ignored entirely. And the law can be referred to as anything other than a bill on human rights “Added he.

Catura was also concerned about the bill’s provision of a right to seek, receive, and use resources.

He went on to say that this clause is in violation of a key existing law that regulates resource soliciting.

Catura expressed concern about a clause in the law that tries to establish sanctuaries for human rights victims, arguing that it allows criminals or people facing criminal charges to seek asylum by claiming to be victims of human rights violations or human rights activists.

The proposed bill, according to Catura, also violates the human rights principle of inclusion by declaring that the proposed Human Rights Defenders Protection Committee will be made up of four organizations.

The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates, Karapatan, Free Legal Assistance Group, and the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers are among these groups.

Catura previously stated that the draft measure contains “several legal flaws,” and that the UN has yet to make a decision on who could be recognized as “human rights defenders.”

“Human rights defender” is not a job title, according to Catura, who also stated that preserving human rights should be sought by everyone in accordance with UN declarations, but in a “peaceful manner.”

According to Catura, the UN has explicitly said that the government, police, and military are human rights defenders.

He also questioned the Makabayan Bloc MPs’ motivations in pressing for the proposed legislation, claiming that it lacked the fortitude to criticize the known crimes done by communist terrorist groups.

Catura continued, “This is a travesty and mockery of human rights.”

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