MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Human Rights announced yesterday the creation of a team to investigate the disappearance of 13 members of the National Democratic Front (NDF), the political arm of the communist rebels, as an apparent confidence-building measure to convince the rebels to resume peace talks with the government.
CHR chair Leila de Lima said Commissioner Jose Mamauag would head the special committee, which was activated following a request from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.
“The CHR has been requested officially to conduct a thorough independent probe into the cases of 13 desaparecidos (victims of involuntary disappearance) who are members of the NDF,” De Lima said during the commemoration of the National Peace Consciousness Month yesterday in Quezon City.
De Lima said most of the cases reportedly happened in 2006 and the latest occurred in 2007.
She said a number of the victims are consultants of the NDF.
“We’d like to know the circumstances and who were behind (the abductions) since some of the cases happened several years ago,” she said.
De Lima said she considers the move as important in getting the NDF to be convinced that the government was determined to resolve these human rights concerns.
“Through this (special committee), the NDF can see that the CHR is thoroughly looking into the cases and it’s part of our confidence-building (measure) in the peace process,” she said.
De Lima said there can never be lasting and genuine peace without human rights and social justice.
“We shall continue to monitor the government’s compliance with these obligations under human rights international treaties including various peace agreements and advocacies,” she said.
Presidential adviser on the peace process Avelino Razon Jr. said the legal teams of the government and the NDF are currently meeting as a prelude to formal talks in Oslo, Norway.
“Although there were stumbling blocks that were raised recently by the NDF, we have agreed that the government legal team as well as the NDF legal team will sit down first here in Manila before the possible formal meeting in Oslo. In fact, this very day our legal teams are already meeting,” Razon said. –-Reinir Padua (The Philippine Star) with Jose Rodel Clapano, James Mananghaya
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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