We strongly disagree with the malicious report by InvestigatePH on the human rights situation, and the policies and programs of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his administration.
InvestigatePH does not represent any credible global or regional institution, and its claims of any authority or credibility to report on the Philippines must be rejected. It is a group of parties that is weaponizing human rights against the Philippines, driven by a self-serving political agenda.
We call on the public to guard against giving credence to a “report” by a group whose character and agenda is dubious.
We ask the parties behind this so-called InvestigatePH to respect the fact that the Philippines is engaging sincerely in all UN mechanisms on human rights dialogue and cooperation. The country has functioning accountability mechanisms and rule of law and its authorities are competent to address allegations of impunity within national administrative and legal institutions and processes.
We ask InvestigatePH and those concerned to follow the proper step of assisting parties to raise cases and concerns, if substantiated, within these institutions and processes.
It is easy to see InvestigatePH’s agenda to paint a dire picture of the human rights situation in the country, as an attempt to interfere in domestic politics and weigh in on issues ahead of national elections next year.
We invite the parties behind InvestigatePH to stop this smear campaign and promote a more reasoned political discourse in the Philippines that serves the Filipino people, and not their vested interest.
We call on the nation to reject this kind of dirty politics which detracts the Filipino public from the most important agenda of the day, which is ensuring that we successfully manage the prevailing challenges of the pandemic to our nation and that our recovery programs do not leave any Filipino behind, and they enable our communities and all sectors of the society to bounce back strongly from the impact of the pandemic.
