Fake news from human rights body

The spokesman for the Commission on Human Rights has finally provided proof that the CHR, which is currently headed by a stool pigeon of ex-President Benigno Aquino III, actually and knowingly disseminates fake news.

“Gascon chose not to run for any elective public office because he knows he has no credibility in the eyes of the electorate on account of his devotion to the Aquino family.

In a press statement reported by the news media last 3 February, CHR spokesman Jacqueline Ann de Guia denounced the Philippine National Police (PNP) for what the CHR claimed was the unfair treatment detained Sen. Leila de Lima has been subjected to by police personnel in charge of her custody.

More specifically, De Guia said that De Lima has consistently been heavily guarded and covered by police escorts who keep her away from the media during her attendance at court hearings. De Guia said other high-profile prisoners are not treated this way by their police escorts and insinuated that De Lima is being maltreated by the PNP.

An inspection team of the PNP, however, discovered that De Lima’s treatment by the PNP is far from that portrayed by De Guia.

The inspection team revealed to the news media that De Lima’s detention cell at Camp Crame has a spacious area of 100 square meters, far bigger than the size mandated by international humanitarian law.

It also turned out that De Lima has a mini-library and a small garden for her physical exercises. She also has a staff to attend to her personal necessities.

From that revelation, it does not appear that De Lima is being maltreated by the PNP.

There is nothing alarming about the heavy guard escorting De Lima during court hearings.

Considering the nature of the drug charges against her, there may be some drug lords who may want to stop her, through the use of force and violence, if necessary, from testifying in court.

De Guia’s claim that the PNP keeps De Lima away from the media is belied by the senator’s regular coverage by the print and broadcast media news.

From all indications, therefore, De Guia has not been aboveboard. She disseminated fake news through her false accusations against the PNP.

Those false accusations are not surprising. They are expected from the CHR, whose head, Jose Luis Gascon, has been hurling endless accusations against President Rodrigo Duterte ever since his lord and master, President Aquino, left office in July 2016. Gascon has been a loyal minion of the Aquino family since 1986.

It looks like Gascon directed De Guia to criticize the PNP so he can avoid any possible repercussion against him. Here is a case of a puppeteer speaking through a puppet, to avoid incurring any possible legal liability on himself.

If Gascon really claims to be an advocate against the human rights violations allegedly committed by the Duterte administration, and considering that Gascon’s CHR seems impotent in preventing supposed human rights violations in the country, he should have joined the eight senatorial candidates of the Liberal Party (LP) of his lord and master.

Obviously, Gascon chose not to run for any elective public office because he knows he has no credibility in the eyes of the electorate on account of his devotion to the Aquino family.

Instead of running in an election he cannot hope to win, Gascon has chosen the opportunistic option, i.e., to enjoy the perks of his high office and at the same time criticize Duterte at government expense. He has, however, chosen to hit Duterte through De Guia, in the hope of dodging criticism himself.

The CHR fake news incident also reveals the extent the LP will go to just to discredit the Duterte government. All those LP stooges in the CHR ought to be sued even if only to inculcate in them the need to be aboveboard in making public accusations.

An earlier editorial published in this newspaper pointed out that like the Supreme Court, the CHR does not need a spokesman. Gascon has shown on past occasions that he can easily make his own press statements without a spokesman. Thus, he should stand by his own announcements and not hide behind the skirt of the CHR spokesman.

Meanwhile, De Guia should resign her post for her involvement in the dissemination of fake news and for allowing herself to be manipulated by Gascon.