Alvarez: CHR Zero Budget For Next Year

If Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez had things done according to his decision, the CHR's (Commission on Human Rights)  national budget should have zero allotment for next year.

After the congressional budget hearing for the CHR on Monday, Alvarez told reporters, 

“Kung ako ang tatanungin ninyo e, zero kapag ganyan ang performance. Bakit? Hindi natin ia-abolish kasi constitutional budget, eh di wag mong bigyan ng budget yan,”

Alvarez, a loyal ally of President Duterte, slammed the agency for presumably defending criminals, who became casualties of not legally authorized killings in the name of the administration’s drug war.

He reprimanded the CHR for keeping silent on guiltless civilians victimized by these lawbreakers.

“Itong ating Commission on Human Rights ay ang pino-focus lang ay yung mga karapatan ng criminal at tipong wala silang pakialam dun sa karapatan nung mga biktima nitong mga criminal na ito,”

He also added that when there are massacres that are brought about by criminals, CHR is silent.

“Matagal ko nang inoobserbahan ito na tuwing merong mga massacre na ginagawa itong mga criminals, itong mga drug addicts, tahimik sila,” 

He even likened it to a Christmas song.

“Parang Pasko sa kanila yun—yung Silent Night—walang comment,” 

He is asking why CHR is making so much noise when they think there are extra-judicial killings that were made about by the police, are they just choosing who they will protect?

“May mga insidente na may namatay at mayroon silang pagdududa na eto ay extra-judicial killing na ginawa nung ating mga [pulis] ay talagang maingay sila. Eh bakit naman gano’n? Akala ko ba ’yung human rights ay para sa lahat. Ay bakit namimili sila ng pinoprotektahan at inaalagaan na karapatan?” 

Its directive was to guarantee that there will be no abuse or negligence on the part of the government to secure and sustain the rights of all the citizens, especially the marginalized.  This was emphasized many times by the CHR in the past

“If it is a civilian or private person who did the crime, such as killing or rape, it is the Philippine National Police (PNP) who has the duty and mandate to take action,”