CHR to set up P25-M forensic center

With the anti-terror bill now signed into law, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) will strengthen its capabilities to guard against abuses by setting up a forensic center. CHR commissioner Wilhelm Soriano said the agency will also ask the 14th Congress to give it added teeth to crack down on human rights abuses. “Patataasin namin ang forensic investigation. We’re putting up a forensic center para ma-enhance namin ang capability building ng investigative power (We’re beefing up our forensic investigation capabilities. We’re setting up a forensic center to enhance our capability for investigation)," Soriano said in a radio interview on Saturday. He said the CHR will use the P25 million that came from Malacañang shortly after it received the report of United Nations rapporteur Philip Alston on extra-judicial killings. Soriano said the European Union had also recommended earlier that the CHR get more resources to protect human rights. Earlier, Soriano said the CHR will monitor the implementation of the anti-terrorism law, following its signing by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on March 6. He said the CHR will be especially wary of the provision where lawmen are authorized to conduct up to three days of custodial investigation of suspected terrorists. He said the CHR had objected to this provision and insisted on requirements such as arrest and search warrants, and inquest after 24 hours. Also, Soriano said the CHR will keep a sharp eye on “proactive" searches of establishments that may violate the right to privacy. But Soriano said the CHR still needs quasi-judicial authority, especially in acting against human rights violations. “There are acts that violate human rights but may not be considered criminal act like torture. We cannot file criminal cases against torturers because torture is not yet a criminal act," he said. He also said the CHR will “pester" agencies to act on administrative cases against members who are found to have violated human rights.-GMANews.TV