CHR maintains stand on Comelec whistle-blowers' harassment

MANILA, Philippines - Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairperson Leila de Lima yesterday expressed disappointment over Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer’s reaction to her earlier statement concerning the latter’s alleged harassment of two whistle-blowers.

“I was just expressing my views and opinion on the need to protect bona fide whistle-blowers in reaction to the reported incident involving Commissioner Ferrer and two alleged whistle-blowers,” said De Lima.

She said she “was expecting a more professional and rational response from the good commissioner, and definitely not such threats of a lawsuit and allusions of ill motives on my part.”

De Lima said she is not frightened of Ferrer’s threat to file a case against her, adding, “I’m sorry but I cannot be bullied by anyone!”

Ferrer earlier said he is planning to file graft charges against De Lima for reportedly “using her official function to harass a person” like him in the probe of the body against his alleged misbehavior against two whistle-blowers last week.

“If you use your office, your official function, to harass persons, that’s a violation of the anti-graft (law). Anti-graft cases do not only involve money,” he said.

Earlier, the CHR called for an investigation on reports that Ferrer allegedly harassed two whistle-blowers during a meeting last week.

Comelec officials invited last week Arwin Serrano, a member of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting; and Melchor Magdamo, a former election lawyer, who exposed alleged irregularities in the planned purchase of P700 million worth of ballot secrecy folders from OTC Paper Supply worth P380 each.

Ferrer reportedly engaged Serrano in a shouting match, pointed a finger at Serrano and called him a liar, and kicked a chair. Ferrer has denied the allegations.