Kapihan on Human Rights Situation in the Philippines

The Second Workshop for an ASEAN Regional Mechanism on Human Rights was convened in Manila on June 14 and 15, 2002. It was organized and co-hosted by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Commission on Human Rights, and the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism. The Manila Workshop was a follow up to the Jakarta workshop on the same topic held in Jakarta on July 5 and 6, 2001 hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission (Komnas Ham) and the National Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism. Participants from ASEAN member countries and an observer from East Timor attended the said Workshop.. Also in attendance as guests were representatives of funding agencies, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, the Asia Foundation and SEAFILD. The list of participants is attached in Annex A.

The workshop was opened by former Senator Wigberto Tanada, chairman of the Philippine Working Group, who delivered the keynote address. The participants were officially welcomed by the Hon. Eligio P. Mallari, officer-in-charge of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights. Special messages were delivered by the Hon. Franklin M. Ebdalin, Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines and the Hon. Francis N. Pangilinan, Chairman of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights of the Senate of the Philippines.

Among the conclusions of the workshop were for the Working Group shall continue to liaise, interact and dialogue with ASEAN, national human rights institutions, Asean ISIS, and other civil society groups in pursuit of the ultimate goal of establishing an ASEAN Human Rights Commission.

The Working Group shall also encourage the creation of national working groups in all ASEAN states, where possible, or seek the designation by States of a focal point in their societies or government whom the Working Group can work with towards its goal of establishing an ASEAN human rights mechanism.

Furthermore, the Working Group shall consider the suggestion to craft a preamble establishing the normative foundation for the establishment of a regional human rights mechanism to enhance the Draft Agreement on the Establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights Commission.

The Manila Workshop reiterated the importance of the implementation of the Jakarta Workshop. The Manila Workshop also called for increased cooperation on the implementation of the Manila outcome among all concerned, and directed the organizers to present the recommendations of both the Jakarta and the Manila Workshops to the Senior Officials of the ASEAN.

Summary of Workshop Proceedings