By Liza Soriano
MANILA — The Senate approved on Tuesday (21 Nov 2023) the proposed budget of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for the year 2024, amounting to P934 million.
During the plenary sessions on November 14, the discussion was temporarily postponed as senators sought a clear position on abortion from the commission.
CHR responded to this request three days later.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada, the sponsor for CHR’s budget, conveyed the commission’s stance, stating, “The 1987 Constitution provides full protection for the life of the mother and the unborn child.” He clarified that CHR opposes abortion but advocates for legal amendments allowing medical termination in extreme cases, such as ectopic pregnancy, threatened abortion, and diseases like cervical cancer and cancer of the uterus, posing a danger to the mother’s life.
Senator Joel Villanueva, the majority leader in the Senate, expressed dismay over a viral video from June of the previous year. The video featured a commission official publicly urging him to approve the SOGIE bill, which seeks to make discrimination based on sexual orientation illegal.
Meanwhile, CHR Chairperson Atty. Richard Paat issued an apology for the incident, stating, “We regret how the Senate perceived the petition, especially Senator Joel Villanueva. The CHR is committed to improving its processes.”
“We are fully dedicated to collaborating with the entire Senate in refining the SOGIE equality bill, and we equally support the comprehensive anti-discrimination bill,” Paat added.
(ai/mnm)
