THE Philippine delegation to the 51st United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Universal Period Review held in Geneva, Switzerland defended its decision to reject the recommendation of member-states for legalization of abortion and divorce in the country.
At a news briefing on the outcome of the UNHRC-UPR held last week, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who led the Philippine delegation to Geneva, said the government couldn’t commit to the legalization of divorce, as this is a legislative matter.
He said some member-states of the UNHRC are pushing the Philippine government to impose on Congress the passage of a law that would legalize divorce in the country.
“Divorce, it’s debatable. But we cannot immediately grant it unless the legislature properly debates about and lays down on the premises—advantages and disadvantages,” Remulla said.
“We want the legislature to do their job here. That is why we cannot commit to it because we cannot impose upon the legislature on policy that they have to do within Congress,” he added.
DOJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said the recommendation for the legalization of divorce and abortion were rejected “because of our national identity, our religious beliefs, and our cultural traditions and the Philippine sovereignty that we need to uphold and protect at all times.”
In rejecting the recommendation to adopt Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Bill and laws legalizing same-sex marriage, Remulla maintained that Filipinos are not ready for these measures.
“This legislation is there, every Congress it is being filed and it is a matter of policy whether we will accept it or not. I think we know as a country that we are not ready for that,” Remulla said.
“Culturally, our values may conflict with many of the values that they want to impose upon us,” he added.
Vasquez, however, noted that the delegation has accepted 200 out of the 279 recommendations made by member-states of the UNHCR to further improve and protect the country’s human rights situation.
Among the recommendations accepted by the Philippine government, according to Remulla are UN Joint Program, the Philippine Commission on Human Rights, a National Human Rights Action Plan, combating discrimination and gender-based violence, maintaining a moratorium on the death penalty, preventing extra-judicial killings, conducting independent investigations on human rights violations, decongesting prisons, further expanding access to justice, protecting human rights defenders and journalists, promoting the rights to education, health, and adequate standard of living, upholding the rights of persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, women, children, refugees, and stateless persons.
The government will review the rest of the recommendations that he said the delegation believes rest on less than solid premises or are not in line with Philippine cultural values, religious beliefs and national identity.