DFA asks UN expert to clarify call to stop attacks on rights advocates

Department of Foreign Affairs (Photo from the DFA Facebook account)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday seeks a clarification on the recent report of the United Nations (UN) special rapporteur asking the government to stop attacks against human rights advocates.

“As we are currently seeking clarification on the nature of report of the Special Rapporteur to enable us to respond more properly,” DFA said in a statement to reporters.

The DFA remark stemmed from the report of Michel Forst, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, which asked the government to end its “public stigmatization” of human rights defenders.

READ: UN expert asks Duterte admin: Stop maligning human rights advocates

“We would like to reiterate the full commitment of the Philippine Government to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that human rights violations are properly investigated, including those allegedly committed by state actors, to make the perpetrators accountable,” the DFA added.

In his report, Forst said the Duterte administration’s war on drugs imposed a “climate of insecurity and impunity,” affected human rights defenders.

Forst also added that President Rodrigo Duterte had attacked human rights defenders, calling them “anti-nation, protectors of drug lords, communists and terrorists.” /atm