OPCAT Campaign in the Philippines
BALAY – RCT Partnership Project
The Ratification Process
• Concurrence of Executive Departments
with custodial powers
• Signing of the President
• Senate deliberations for the ratification of
the instrument
Flowchart of the OPCAT Ratification Process
Concurrence of custodial executive departments
DOJ (Bureau of Correction)
DILG (BJMP), DND
DFA
(with department concurrence recommends to President to sign protocol)
President transmits document to Senate for deliberation and ratification
Creation of an implementing legislation
Installing the local instrument
(National Preventive Mechanism/s)
What has happened so far?
April 2006 to present:
1. United Against Torture Coalition (UATC), Rehabilitation and Research
Centre for Torture Victims (RCT), Association for the Prevention of
Torture (APT) dialogues with high level officials of DFA and DOJ;
2. Information materials and lobby kits: primers; posters; briefing
note/document; OPCAT website
3. UATC, RCT, APT dialogue with Rep. Loretta Ann P. Rosales and
Committee Secretaries of Congress (Justice, Human Rights, Foreign
Affairs, Public Order and Security and National Defense)
4. UATC, RCT, APT dialogue with CHR
5. UATC dialogues with officials of the DILG, BJMP
6. Follow-up meetings with executive agencies
7. UATC General Assembly
8. UATC 26 June Press Forum
What has happened so far?
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19 April 2006 - The Philippine Government makes its pledges to
the UN in its bid for a seat at the UNHRC;
9 May 2006 - The Philippines is elected to the new UNHRC;
22 June 2006 OPCAT enters into force;
September 2006 - The Philippines remains silent about the OPCAT
at the UN annual treaty event
UATC nationwide campaign to promote the OPCAT to stakeholders
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6.
BJMP regional directors – 10 RDs
Local executives – 15 provincial governments
Custodial Officers / Wardens - 10
CHR regional directors – 11 RDs
Political Prisoners and Detainees – 14 jails and prisons
Civil Society Organizations
What has happened so far?
• PHRC Resolution
Signatures: 5 / 9
(To be circulated by the UATC)
• CHR position paper
• DILG letter to the President and the Senate
• House of Representatives Resolution sponsored by the Committee
on Human Rights
• 3 Individual Local Executive Resolutions
• League of Provinces Resolution through the DILG
• 4 out 5 caucuses on the OPCAT held
• Dialogue with the COS of Sen. Santiago (author of senate bill)
• National Multi-Stakeholders Forum
Results of the Campaign
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A wider collection of individuals, e.g. government officials,
correctional personnel and human rights workers with a basic
understanding of the assistance that the OPCAT can offer the
Philippines. Existence of a support base for the instrument;
Revitalization of interest and concern to address torture;
The manifestation of support of all pertinent executive
departments but one (DND) for the installment of the OPCAT
through a Presidential Human Rights Committee resolution;
A more vigorous Commission on Human Rights in terms of pushing
for the OPCAT to be put in place;
The DILG’s pledge to recommend the installment of the OPCAT to
the President and the Senate;
The issuance of a resolution by the House of Representatives
through the Committee on Human Rights recommending the
ratification of the OPCAT;
Pledges of support for the installment of the OPCAT from at least
four Senators;
What still needs to be done?
• Certificate of Concurrence from Executive Departments
• Gathering of more signatures appealing to the President to
sign the instrument
• DILG letter to President and Senate
• DND dialogue
• Dialogue with Senators
• CHR recommendation to install the OPCAT (position paper)
• Individual Resolutions from Local Executives
• Resolution from House of Representatives
• League of Provinces Resolution
• OPCAT Caucus for Embassies
Lessons and Insights
• Reading and responding to the signs of the
times
• Engaging the citizenry – peoples’
participation
• Connecting as global citizens
• Celebrating things that we can do and what
works best
Evolve with Changing Times
• Diversity
• Richness
• Make mistakes and learn
• Not just do the norm
• Challenge one another