UN to review PH record on rights treaty

A United Nations (UN) committee in Geneva, Switzerland, is set to review the Philippines’ observance of economic, social and cultural rights this month.

In a statement on Friday, the UN said its Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights would look into the country’s compliance to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

The UN said the Philippines, being one of the 164 nations that ratified the ICESCR, was “required to undergo regular review by the Committee” on September 28 and 29 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The last review of the Philippines’ implementation of the ICESCR was in 2008.

“The Committee, which is composed of 18 independent human rights experts, will discuss a range of issues relating to the Philippines’ implementation of the ICESCR with a Philippine delegation,” the statement read.

The UN said the Philippines has already submitted a report to the committee. The findings would be released on October  10.

The review by the UN committee will take place amid President Rodrigo Duterte’s invitation to UN chief Ban Ki-Moon, the European Union and even United States President Barack Obama to come to the Philippines and investigate the alleged extrajudicial killings amid the bloody war on illegal drugs.

The no-nonsense crackdown of the Duterte administration on illegal drugs has gained criticisms from various local and international human rights groups, including the UN.

Duterte earlier cursed the United Nations, Ban and the European Union for criticizing him and his bloody crackdown on illegal drugs.

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