The House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill which prevents human rights violations and abuses perpetrated against HRDs.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman welcomed the bill’s passage, noting that Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of Human Rights has recorded the killing of 697 human rights defenders in the country for the period 2001 to 2018, while Task Force Detainees of the Philippines documented 76 human rights violations affecting 333 HRDs from September 2013 to September 2016 alone.
House Bill 9199 consolidated HB 8128 authored by Lagman; and HB 1617 introduced by Representatives Carlos Isagani Zarate, Antonio Tinio, Emmi de Jesus, France Castro, Arlene Brosas, and of Makabayan Bloc.
The bill guarantees HRD rights and freedoms; mandates the State and public authorities to respect, protect, and fulfill these rights and freedoms; and imposes appropriate sanctions to counter impunity.
Once enacted, the bill will also create a Human Rights Defenders Protection Committee chaired by a Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and six members who will be jointly nominated by concerned civil society organizations.
HB 9199 is based on the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the Model National Law on the Recognition and Protection of Human Rights Defenders drafted by the International Service for Human Rights.
Lagman, who sponsored the bill on second reading last week, lauded the House of Representatives for approving the measure on third and final reading.
“It is high time that we accord stronger legal protection to those who defend not only their own human rights and fundamental freedoms but those of others as well,” Lagman said.