Objectivity urged on UN

Civil society groups and even the UN Human Rights Council consider detained Sen. Leila de Lima as a prisoner of conscience.

Vice Consul Majella Cristy U. Pua-Diezmos (right) of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations (UN), together with National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Chairperson, Secretary Allen Capuyan, participate in an interactive dialogue at the 42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland on Thursday (Sept. 19, 2019). During the dialogue, Pua-Diezmos read the Philippines' response to a UN report that linked the government to cases of intimidation and reprisals. (Contributed photo)

The government demanded objectivity from the United Nations (UN) after the multilateral agency named the Philippines among nations with “cases of reprisals” mainly against mainly the political opposition.

Vice Consul Majella Cristy Pua-Diezmos of the Philippine Mission to the UN opposed a report about individuals in the Philippines who decried being targets of “harassment, surveillance and stigmatization.”

The report cited inclusion of certain individuals in a February 2018 Department of Justice petition, which sought to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) as terrorist organizations.

Likewise, civil society groups and even the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) consider detained Sen. Leila de Lima as a “prisoner of conscience” in contrast to the drug trafficking charges pressed against her.

Diezmos stressed the Philippine government condemns all acts of intimidation by non-state actors and does not undertake reprisals against critics.

Speaking during an interactive dialogue with the Advisory Committee and UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour at the 42nd session of the UNHRC, Diezmos said the Philippines “believes that the reports taken up by the Council should be guided by the highest level of objectivity, professionalism and due diligence.”

“Maintaining high standards to ensure that facts, not falsities, are the basis of our discourse, is crucial to preserve the integrity and credibility of the Council in the age of fake news,” she said.

The usual source of attacks against President Rodrigo Duterte and his campaigns against narcotics and criminal acts is data coming from individuals who have been proven part of destabilization efforts.

Manila welcomes efforts from the UN to give government sufficient time to respond to the issues being alleged to it, according to the representative to the UN.

On allegations against organizations linked to the communist movement, she cited reports that match the data from another UN office.

“The report of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Children in Armed Conflict corroborates this information,” she said.

“We draw attention to the need for the international community to exercise due diligence in engaging parties who have abused the good faith of the UN system, masquerading as human rights defenders while actively carrying out terrorism and crime. Evidence was presented on how the CPP-NPA, a terrorist group, and its front organizations have perpetrated systemic atrocities among its followers and indigenous communities in the Philippines for decades,” she said.

She also asked Gilmour for his views “on best practices to address intimidations and reprisals committed by non-state actors and how to assist states in strengthening their capacities as duty-bearers in this regard.”

Diezmos, meanwhile, welcomed the work of the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights to implement consultation mechanisms within the UN system, as well as with intergovernmental regional organizations and multilateral development banks against reprisals with a view to strengthening accountability mechanisms.

“We request the Secretary General to keep the Council apprised of progress of these efforts,” she said.