The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which unanimously accepted and commended the Outcome Report on the Philippines’ 3rd cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR), is the highest peer review body in the world on all matters of human rights.
It is quite irresponsible for certain parties who dismiss the UNHRC’s action on the Philippines’ involvement and commitment in the UPR as merely “procedural"; given the challenging criticisms about the conduct of the government's anti-illegal drug campaign as violative of our people's human rights.
By presenting the truth about and behind this campaign before the world stage, the Philippines gained the support of many countries, especially all our ASEAN neighbors, and Japan and China, who, in fact, recognized our advances in the area of human rights compliance. As a result, countries like Japan committed to provide the necessary medical rehabilitation and treatment facilities, while China made a call for the world to support the Philippines' anti-illegal drug war. No less than the UNHRC President, on the sidelines, congratulated the Philippine delegation for its substantive reporting.
The adoption of the Philippine UPR indicates the UNHRC's appreciation of the State's action on the recommendations offered by fellow States. These commitments had been reached after careful consultation with all Executive offices concerned, and representation from the Judiciary and the Legislature.
The Philippines' full implementation of the accepted recommendations into our Philippine Human Rights Plan shall be ensured by the Presidential Human Rights Committee chaired by the Executive Secretary.
The achievement is of no little import, the dismissal of which reveals an unnecessary partisanship.
