DAVAO CITY –- The British government will finance £59,131.72 (approximately P4.19 million) project that will train health professionals in providing proper documentation and expert testimony in human rights cases in Mindanao provinces where there are high incidences of violations.
British Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie, in statement to the Philippine Daily Inquirer Saturday, said they would channel their money through their partner non-government organization, Medical Action Group (MAG), which will facilitate the training program soon to improve the quality of medical evidence presented in court.
The British Embassy in Manila signed a contract with MAG to carry out the project, which would address the lack of medical documentation standards for torture cases that resulted in rejection of medical evidence by the courts on grounds that these were not “scientific”.
“The effective prosecution of the perpetrators of human rights violations is essential in upholding justice and human rights in the country. This project will have a direct impact on the ability to investigate and secure prosecutions by improving the quality of medical evidence in court cases. We will continue to support the Philippines in its efforts to implement international human rights standards,” Lillie said.
At least 150 public health doctors from the provinces of Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Maguindanao, Surigao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Misamis Ocidental, will be trained. Other health experts from Northern Samar, Masbate, Abra and in Metro Manila, will also attend the training.
MAG has been running a health and human rights education programme since its inception in 1982 and has been recognized by the Department of Education for the excellent delivery of human rights education to health school in the late 1990’s. To date it has been active in providing training to health professionals.
Lynn Ayers Plata, Embassy press officer, said the World Health Organization commissioned MAG to formulate a rights-based approach to Health for local government health offices, which is to be used in their project.