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| Karapatan protesting the killings of two of its members: Ryan Hubilla and Nelly Bagasala and peasant leader Nonoy Palma. (Photo from Karapatan / released) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] MANILA: The House of Representatives has passed a bill to protect the rights of human rights defenders but it stands "little to no chance" of passage at the Senate, one of its authors said. Another remained optimistic, saying that public support for the bill would make the passage at the Senate easier. The House this week approved on third and final reading the Human Rights Defenders Protection bill authored by Rep. Edcel Lagman. Sens. Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros filed a counterpart bill in 2019.
"Unfortunately, there is slim to none chance for this measure to be passed this Congress," de Lima told Philstar through her media relations officer on Tuesday. "The topic of the bill necessitates extended deliberations in the Senate in both committee and plenary levels. Given the present extended office closure due to the pandemic, there might not be enough time to give this measure the scrutiny it deserves," she added. Even if Congress passes the bill, she said that it is "almost certain that President Rodrigo Duterte will veto it."
The committee will be tasked with the protection of human rights defenders from intimidation and reprisals, the facilitation of inter-agency and inter-department coordination against intimidation and reprisals, and the conduct of investigations into them.
