Presidential Communications Office chief Martin Andanar has once again been painted into a corner — and we don’t know how it happened.
Andanar has been accused of mistakenly claiming that “an 18-member United Nations team will visit the Philippines on Sep 28 to 29.”
Andanar denied making such a claim.
“I did not confirm in a radio interview that a UN team would arrive next week to look into accusations of extrajudicial killings in the country’s war against drugs and upon the invitation of President Rodrigo Duterte,” he was quoted in The Standard.
“What I said in a radio interview is that there should be an official invitation from the Philippine government, coursed through formal channels, for such a visit to become official,” he added.
Meanwhile, in a separate Standard report, DFA spokesman Charles Jose further clarified that “no UN delegation that is supposed to look into alleged extrajudicial killings will arrive in the country this coming week because the DFA has not drafted an invitation to the world body or discussed with them the terms of reference of such a visit.”
Instead, Jose explained, there is “an annual human rights review next week that is part of the country’s commitment under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).”
The report noted: “The ICESCR is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 16, 1966 which the Philippines signed on Dec 19, 1966 and ratified on Jun 4, 1974.”
Jose stated, “It is a regular thing.”
By that, he means the review is done every five years to assess whether or not a country has instituted reforms to improve the state of human rights.
Jose then pointed out that “the annual review will be conducted this year by 18 experts from the UN economics, social, and cultural rights committee at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland from Sep 28 to 29.”
Jose stated, though, that the Geneva review, which will mark the 50th anniversary of the ICESCR and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, “will not cover the issue of extrajudicial killings [in the Philippines].”
GMA News Online reports that the National and Economic Development Authority (NEDA) will head the Philippine delegation in Geneva.
Other Cabinet officials are also expected to fly out for the review scheduled on Sep 28 and 29.
The report noted: “The review will take place from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. on Sep 28 (Manila time), and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sep 29. It will also be webcast by the UN.”
