N acionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Manny Villar calls for strict monitoring of the implementation of human-rights policies adopted by the government and treaties ratified by the Philippines.

Mr. Villar’s appeal was prompted by the 2009 report of Freedom House, a New York-based human-rights group, classifying the Philippines as only a “partly free” nation in 2008 due to several controversies in the human-rights field and unfavorable developments in the political arena.

In 2005, the group’s “Freedom in the World” annual report categorized the Philippines as “free.”

To address the human-rights problem, Manny Villar said he would propose the creation of a network of government and independent groups that will monitor human-rights compliance and abuses committed by law enforcers and members of the national-security force.

If we are serious in dealing with extra-judicial killings in the country, we must raise the awareness that the Philippines absolutely adheres to the highest standards of protecting the people’s rights at all times – Manny Villar

V illar maintains that the Philippine society is ruled by law and not by the barrel of the gun, but deplored this is hardly achieved.

He said it would take a tested leader to ensure a peaceful environment through observance of human rights.

The NP standard-bearer also said discussions on the Human Security Act of 2007 should be held regularly in order to avoid misinterpretations of the law. The Human Security Act makes terrorism a crime and allows authorities to arrest terror suspects without warrants and temporarily detain them without charges. # # #