The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) vowed to be transparent to United Nations Special Rapporteur (UNSR) Irene Khan, who is in the Philippines to examine the state of rights to freedom of opinion and expression in the country.
DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, however, said he would not be able to meet Khan as he has prior appointments.
”I have sent our undersecretary to meet with her because I’ve got previous schedules,” Abalos said during a Palace press briefing.
“Well, we are not hiding anything. We will be transparent as we are. We are a democratic country, we follow all the laws here,” he added.
In a separate statement, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) said it will collaborate with Khan, the UN rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, in improving its mechanism.
The NTF-ELCAC joined the dinner with Khan hosted by the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) and other government agencies.
NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. presented to Khan the executive order which created the task force.
“We have 12 clusters in the NTF-ELCAC with a collective goal of safeguarding freedom of expression and protecting civic space, which are fundamental rights of utmost importance,” Torres said.
Khan is also set to have a meeting with the Department of Justice.
“She will be meeting with the DOJ to take up steps the government has taken to strengthen the justice system, freedom of expression and the rule of law in the country,” DOJ Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez said on Tuesday.
Khan will be in the Philippines until Feb. 2
She is the third UN Rapporteur to visit the Philippines under the administration of President Marcos. With Rey E. Requejo