Palace scouting for CHR commissioners

MANILA, Philippines – By May 5, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) will have no commissioner to investigate cases of human rights abuses unless President Arroyo names replacements for all five retiring commissioners.

Commission Chair Purificacion Quisumbing and four commissioners are set to end their seven-year terms on May 5.

Quisumbing was named commissioner in November 2001, along with Commissioners Eligio Mallari, Dominador Calamba, and the late Malik Gubat Marandang.

Quisumbing was promoted to chairwoman in August 2002. Marandang was named ambassador to Tripoli, Libya on Jan. 29, 2004, and died on Nov. 19 of the same year.

Commissioners Wilhelm Soriano and Quentin Cueto served the unexpired term of four years and five years of their predecessors.

Soriano assumed his post in January 2003, while Cueto was named in October 2004.

Soriano, who is in charge of the National Capital Region and Ilocos Region, said nominations for their replacements must be  made now so Mrs. Arroyo could select the new set of commissioners and chairman before May 5.

“It is important for the President to make the appointments and announce it before May 5 in order to ensure the continuity of the programs at the CHR,” he told The STAR.

Under a Supreme Court ruling, the seven-year tenure of CHR commissioners is based on the first appointments on May 5, 1987, he added. – Katherine Adraneda