Shawwal 22, 1444 AH / May 12, 2023 – As part of its commitment to ensuring the highest standards of human rights protection, the lawyers, investigators, and key personnel of the Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission (BHRC) have recently completed the Phase II of the Ladderized Training for Human Rights Workers entitled: “Intermediate Investigation Training.”
The training was held on May 9 – 11 at General Santos City and was attended by approximately fifty (50) participants from the BHRC’s Regional Office and its seven (7) Provincial Offices. This includes the Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Office, Maguindanao del Norte Provincial Office, Lanao del Sur Provincial Office, Special Geographic Area in North Cotabato and Cotabato City Office, Basilan Provincial Office, Sulu Provincial Office, and Tawi-Tawi Provincial Office.
Sponsored by the Support to Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA), the training is intended to capacitate the BHRC personnel in terms of the investigation of human rights cases and was conducted in partnership with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), the national human rights institution (NHRI) of the Philippines.
Atty. Gilbert V. Sembrano, LLM, Justice and Society Project Team Leader of the SUBATRA, was also present during the training and reiterated his support for the Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission.
Phase II of the training program focused on intermediate investigation skills. This phase aimed to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct effective and efficient investigations into human rights violations.
The training covered a range of topics such as, but not limited to, international humanitarian law, the international and domestic framework of children’s rights, international and domestic women’s rights, indigenous people’s rights, Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Nelson Mandela Rules, and the Minnesota Protocol.
These topics were discussed by a roster of brilliant resource persons and key personnel of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), particularly from its Human Rights Education and Promotions Office (HREPO), namely: Mr. John Prado (Training Specialist, Formal Education Section); Ms. Rez M. Ylagan (Chief, Formal Education Section); Mr. Legis A. Almazar (Training Specialist, Formal Education Section); Mr. Dominic Gutoman (HRI Growth and Networking Coordinator, Formal Education Section); Dr. Jerrick Gerard C. Go (Chief, Education and Training Division); and the Human Rights Education and Promotion Office Director, Atty. Frances Tom F. Temprosa.
A lecture on the salient points of Shariah Law, its purpose, and reconciliation with the national law, was also given by lawyer and Shariah Counselor Atty. Norpaisa P. Manduyog, Sh.C., COMELEC Officer of the Commission on Election, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. This is in furtherance of the goal of the BHRC to campaign for a human rights advocacy that is applicable in the context of the Bangsamoro.
Moreover, Atty. Akmad Khan Kipli, Attorney IV of the CHR Legal Services Division, delivered a lecture on the different writs in the Philippines that may be available for human rights violations and abuse cases. This includes the writs of Amparo, Habeas Corpus, Habeas Data, Kalikasan, and others.
Subsequently, Dr. Joseph Andrew Jimenez of the CHR Forensic Division discussed Forensic Science in the Investigation of Extrajudicial Killings, Torture, and Enforced Disappearances. He also shared the CHR Practices on the investigation of human rights violations.
Finally, Dr. Sherjan Kalim, a renowned physician and medical expert of the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC), also discussed the Istanbul Protocol and its importance to human rights investigation. He also shared some practical advice on the conduct of case build-up and investigation of cases involving torture.
The completion of the Phase II of the Ladderized Training for Human Rights Workers is a significant achievement for the BHRC and its personnel. The training will enable BHRC investigators to conduct thorough and impartial investigations into human rights violations, ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable and that victims receive justice.
