Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines
Cases- Location of case in SG report
- 2018-084-001
- Relevant SG report
- Year of the report
- 2018
- From Country
- Country Geolocation
Latitude: 12.879721
Longitude: 121.774017
- Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
- Philippines
- From Region
- UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report
- UN Special Procedures: Thematic
- Dates of prior UN action
- 2 October 2017
- Type of record
- Named organization
- Was the victim a foreign national?
- No
- Was the victim a minor?
- No
- Type of rights defended
- Unclear in SG Report
- Was the victim a civil servant, member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
- No
- Reported trigger of reprisal
The Commission submitted information to the universal periodic review of the Philippines in 2017, 2012 and 2008
- Engagement with UN body
- UN Human Rights Council: UN Human Rights Council - General
- UN Human Rights Council: UPR
- Dates of engagement
- 2017; 2012; 2008
- Type of attempted engagement
- Submission of information to UN
- Dates of mentioned reprisals
- unclear
- Reprisal information
threats of being defunded or abolished and has been vilified in the media as a hindrance to the implementation of government policies.
- Types of reprisals suffered
- Defamation / Defamation campaign
- Threats/Intimidations (incl. "fear of reprisal")
- Alleged/likely perpetrators
- Both state and non-state actors
- Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
- No
- Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
- No
- Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
- No
- Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
- No
- Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
- No
- How many times has the case been followed up in subsequent SG reports?
- 2
- In which SG report was this case followed up on? 0
- 2019
- Follow up information provided in SG report 0
Allegations of reprisals against the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (PHL 12/2017) were included in the 2018 report of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/39/41, paras. 61–62 and Annex I, paras. 84–85). As of May 2019, it was reported that members of the Commission continue to be under surveillance by State agents and threats have been made against their lives and security, amid calls for their resignation. Chairperson Mr. Chito Gascon has been particularly targeted as head of the Commission, with a State agent reportedly assigned to follow his movements. Mr. Gascon was also reportedly under surveillance during a side event at the Human Rights Council in March 2019.
On 21 June 2019, the Government responded to the allegations. Regarding the situation of the Commission on Human Rights, the Government stated that contrary to the allegations of reprisals, it has further cultivated enabling conditions and environment for the work of the Commission with the unprecedented increase of its 2017 budget by over 60% from its regular budget.
- Followup Trends 0
- Stayed same
- Did the government respond? 0
- Yes
- In which SG report was this case followed up on? 1
- 2020
- Follow up information provided in SG report 1
Alleged reprisals in the form of surveillance, public stigmatization and calls for resignation of the current Chair and staff of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (PHL 12/2017), and the arbitrary detention of its former Chair, were included in the 2019 (A/HRC/42/30, Annex II paras. 79–80) and 2018 reports of the Secretary- General (A/HRC/39/41, paras. 61–62 and Annex I, paras. 84–85). In particular, the High Commissioner in her July 2019 report (A/HRC/44/22, para. 58) noted that former Chair and Senator, Ms. Leila de Lima, arbitrarily detained for three years, is among the women officials critical of Government policy who faced reprisals. 64 99. During the reporting period, OHCHR received information that the Commission continued to be the target of threats, intimidation and public questioning, given its support to, and engagement with, the UN. When the Human Rights Council voted in favour of the resolution on the human rights situation in the Philippines in July 2019 (A/HRC/RES/41/2), newspaper articles reportedly condemned statements by the Commission which had advocated for the implementation of the resolution and had called for the Government to cooperate with OHCHR. In November 2019, during the Senate’s public deliberations on the Commission’s proposed 2020 budget, legislators accused the Commission of favouring criminals. The Senate President reportedly raised questions concerning international organizations with which the Commission had engaged, and requested the list of such organizations to be submitted to the Senate.
- On 23 July 2020, the Government responded in detail to the note verbale in connection to the present report. The Government stressed that the Commission on Human Rights enjoys its continued support and that its budget has even increased. Views expressed during the Senate’s budget debate should not be considered as reprisals, as they are part of free political debate. The reply did not provide new details about the situation of detained former Chair and Senator Ms. Leila de Lima.
- Followup Trends 1
- Deterioration/further reprisals
- Did the government respond? 1
- Yes
- In which SG report was this case followed up on? 2
- 2021
- Follow up information provided in SG report 2
- According to information received by OHCHR, during the reporting period, the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines and its staff continued to receive threats and were subjected to intimidation and “red-tagging” for their engagement with the UN (see also Annex I). Alleged reprisals in the form of surveillance, public vilification and calls for resignation of the current Chairperson, Mr. Jose Luis Martin (Chito) Gascon, and other staff of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (PHL 12/2017), and the arbitrary detention of its former Chair and Senator Ms. Leila De Lima were included in the 2020, 2019 and 2018 reports of the Secretary-General215 in relation to their cooperation with the UN. On 24 February 2021, special procedures mandate holders reiterated their call for the immediate release of Ms. De Lima. While they welcomed her acquittal on one of three charges, they noted with concern that she still faces two other charges and has been in pre- trial detention since 2017.216
- Followup Trends 2
- Deterioration/further reprisals
- Did the government respond? 2
- Yes