NextGen Day

MANILA – Malacanang blasted a global movement to censure President Rodrigo Duterte and other high-ranking Philippine officials for allegedly abusing human rights on Thursday.

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) stated on Tuesday that it has launched a campaign to sanction high-ranking officials who are accused of masterminding or participating in human rights breaches.

It is the first time that a human rights organization has launched a campaign to enforce the Magnitsky Act, which allows the US government to prosecute human rights abuses around the world by excluding them from entering the country and freezing their assets.

Acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar described the move as an attempt to “name and humiliate” the Philippines in front of the international community.

“It is perplexing how it has come up with charges of Philippine government human rights crimes without first verifying them with the competent authorities,” he said in a news statement.

Despite this, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with the international community to address the country’s human rights issues.

“Again, we maintain our doors open to this group for real and fruitful dialogues because we are serious about resolving any human rights violations and abuses, whether alleged or not.” This would prevent them from becoming a laughingstock among states that are more aware of the true state of affairs in our country,” he continued.

In the meantime, Andanar stressed the importance of “protecting” the Magnitsky Act against abuse.

Apart from Duterte, the group wants Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to face punishment for spearheading the anti-illegal drugs campaign “Oplan Tokhang” when he was the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.

Former Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas, members of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Gen. Jose Faustino Jr., Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ao, former Special Assistant to the President and Senator Bong Go, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Quezon City Judge Cecilyn Burgos

The original Magnitsky Act, signed into law in December 2012 by former US President Barack Obama, attempts to hold Russian officials accountable for the death of Russian tax lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in a Moscow prison in 2009.

Following that, in 2016, the US Congress passed the Global Magnitsky Act, allowing the US to impose visa bans and targeted sanctions on anyone anywhere in the world who commits human rights violations or serious wrongdoing.

It was named after Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian tax lawyer who faced retaliation after revealing a tax fraud scheme involving Russian officials. He was imprisoned in Russia and died there afterward.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra stated the Philippines will evaluate 250 more cases of deaths linked to the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign in his virtual speech to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) 49th Session on February 28.

Four of these instances have reached Philippine courts for prosecution, according to Guevarra.

He also reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to continuing its long history of positive engagement with the UN, despite the fact that the country’s administration changed in June following the elections.

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