The Department of Justice has urged the Commission on Human Rights to increase its personnel in response to proposals to deploy them in anti-illegal drugs operations of law enforcement agencies.
DoJ spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano issued the statement following the filing by House Deputy Minority Leader Bernadette Herrera of House Bill 1011 proposing the presence of “CHR agents” in police operations against suspected drug traffickers to prevent possible human rights violations.
Herrera, a representative of the Bagong Henerasyon Party list, said her bill is in response to human rights concerns raised by local and international groups over the previous Duterte administration’s drug war.
“It may be a good idea if the CHR can ramp up their manpower. I am not sure if they have the resources to do that. In any case, the DoJ Secretary has given his assurance that the DoJ, on its part, will be transparent with the CHR,” Clavano said.
Clavano was referring to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla who is set to meet with United States Senator Edward J. Markey to discuss human rights initiatives and programs.
The Remulla-Markey meeting, he said, is set this week.
Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, is one of the US senators who have been calling for an end to alleged human rights abuses committed during the anti-illegal drugs war under the administration of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.