THE United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)’s resolution expressing support and cooperation for the Philippines’ efforts to protect human rights in the country only shows that the government’s approach against illegal drugs is holistic.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año stressed this point as he led his department in welcoming the passage of said resolution.
Adopted in during the council’s 45th session in Geneva, Switzerland, the said UNHR resolution called for technical assistance and capacity building for domestic efforts on human rights between the Philippine government and the Office of Human Rights Council (OHRC)
“The UNHCR resolution is a welcome development on the part of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) Advocacy Cluster headed by the DILG. This move is a recognition that the government’s approach against illegal drugs is holistic. We are not only focusing on the supply reduction side but also on the demand reduction aspect,” Año said.
This proposed move according to the DILG chief, further strengthens the Department’s unwavering commitment to the campaign against the illegal drugs menace in the country while observing and protecting the human rights of all individuals.
The DILG will also give more emphasis on community-based drug rehabilitation efforts.
“The Department has been steadfast in its commitment to eradicating the illegal drugs using a whole-of-nation approach to ensure that human rights protection is upheld in the performance of the sworn duties by all public servants under the DILG organization,” he added.
Año assured the public that even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department is unwavering in facing the illegal drug problem in the country based on a systematic analysis of the data gathered from the Anti-Illegal Drugs Information System (AIDIS) which is shared among the different drug agencies.
He earlier ordered the PNP to tighten up the illegal drugs campaign with the easing of community quarantine in greater parts of the country as the trend of COVID-19 cases slows down daily.
“Sa gitna na malaking krisis na kinakaharap ng maraming bansa dahil sa pandemya, napakalaking ginhawa ang maidudulot ng pagtutulungan na inilalatag ng UNHCR para tuluyan na mapagtagumpayan ang illegal na droga sa bansa sa tulong ng lahat ng mga attached agencies ng DILG at ng iba pang mga sangay ng gobyerno. Basta’t sama-sama at may disiplina, kayang kaya!” Año said.
The 47-member UNHCR acknowledged the country’s strong and open collaboration with the United Nations particularly on areas on the rule of law, justice, law enforcement, and accountability processes at the invitation of the government and in accordance with national priorities.
Among the proposed areas of cooperation cited in the said UNHCR resolution are technical assistance and capacity-building, domestic investigative and accountability measures, data gathering on alleged police violations, civic space and engagement with civil society and the Commission on Human Rights, national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up, counter-terrorism legislation, and human rights-based approached to drug control.
