DAVAO City — The government peace negotiating panel launched the body that would monitor compliance with an agreement that seeks to protect the rights of non-combatants in armed conflict.
The government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines signed the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (Carhrihl) in the Hague, The Netherlands on March 12, 1998.
During the launch of the “Peace Buzz” at the Rizal Park here, Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Jesus Dureza announced the government monitoring committee on Carhrihl has stations in Davao and Cagayan de Oro that would receive complaints or incident reports.
He emphasized the need to revisit the provisions of this agreement. He said it should be strictly observed even as the talks between government and NDF have been put on hold pending an environment “conducive for peace negotiations” that President Duterte had asked from the New People’s Army, the communists’ armed wing.
“If we can put a lot of work in respect for human rights, then we are already moving forward. And the respect for human rights should not only be for government, we shall expect the other side of the table will also do equally — respect human rights of people. And so if we can make that work already, we are already moving forward although talks are still canceled right now,” he said.
Dureza said he hopes their counterparts from the NDFP “will respond accordingly”, although doing so is their judgment call.
The committee would monitor the implementation of the Carhrihl by concerned units and agencies of government, and request them to act on any violation of the agreement.
Dureza put to task the two monitoring stations to encourage local governments and civil society to support the committee’s efforts and give updates to stakeholders on the status of the Carhrihl and the Joint Monitoring Committee.
The monitoring committee is chaired by lawyer Franklin Quijano, with Deputy Regional Prosecutor Barbara Mae Flores and Justice Undersecretary Antonio Kho as members and lawyer Caesar Europa of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and Alladin Diega of International Alert as independent observers. (antonio l. colina iv of mindanews)
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