No reason for RP not to sign UN convention on forced disappearances

Malacañang sees no reason why the Philippines should not sign the draft United Nations convention to protect persons from enforced disappearance.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to make a final recommendation on the matter.

Presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, in separate interviews, said the DFA is still finalizing its recommendation regarding the draft UN Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance adopted by the world body in December 1992.

"I don’t believe there is any reason for us not to sign the declaration," Defensor said in a telephone interview. "After all we are a government that upholds and protects human rights."

The French government earlier called on the Philippines to lead Asian countries in ratifying the UN convention.

The call came amid local and international uproar over the continued rise of the incidence of killings and disappearances of church workers, activists and journalists in the country.

French Embassy charge d’affaires Bernard Regnauld Fabre said the signing of the convention would help increase the momentum on investigations on missing people as well as heighten awareness on the issue of disappearances.

Disappearances are not acceptable in a democratic society, he added.

Ermita said the DFA has yet to submit its recommendation to President Arroyo on the matter.

"I think it (recommendation) would soon come," he said.

Defensor said for "the first time in the country’s history," the Arroyo administration has created a powerful body –the Melo Commission –to investigate and put an end to extrajudicial killings.

Ermita said enshrined in the Constitution is the creation of the Commission on Human Rights to investigate cases of violations of human rights. — Paolo Romero