The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights is eyeing to craft and legislate a measure in the country that is compliant with the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

This came after Senators Francis Tolentino and Ronald dela Rosa met with the members of the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture on Tuesday at the Senate in Pasay City.

In a media interview, Tolentino said they will be starting to craft a National Preventive Mechanism against Torture by next year.

The measure will be compliant with the OPCAT, a UN Treaty in which the Philippines is also a signatory, primarily aims to prevent torture and ill-treatment in all places where people are, or maybe, deprived of their liberty.

"Ikoco-sponsor na namin. Meron ng isang naka-file para po sa January ay tumakbo na po yung proseso at maka-comply tayo sa requirement ng United Nations Convention Against Torture. So, ito po ay napakahalaga (We will co-sponsor this. We already have one filed so that on January, we can run the process and comply with the requirement of the United Nations Convention Against Torture. So, this is very important)," Tolentino said.

The senator noted that the UN SPT delegation will be assisting the Senate in the crafting of the measure, until the end of their visit on 14 December.

"Come January, they will assist. They have promised us that they will be resource persons during the hearings to be conducted by the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights," he added.

Aisha Shujune Muhammad, one of the SPT delegates, said their team will be presenting preliminary observations to the Government of the Philippines.

"We're here to work with the state party to engage in constructive dialogue, to help and assist to fulfill the international obligations in relation to the prevention of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment," Muhammad said in an interview.