In preventing violence against women, children
NANCY CALLS FOR STRICTER IMPLEMENTATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Senator Nancy Binay today called for the stricter implementation of human rights, especially of women and children's rights, in light of the renewed enforcement of curfew, anti-vice and decency laws and ordinances in the country.

"Tinatawagan natin ang pulisya at ang mga national authorities na respetuhin ang karapatang pantao, lalo na ng mga kababaihan at mga bata, sa pagpapatupad nila ng mga ordinansa at mga batas," Binay said.

"People are being arrested and detained, kasama na ang mga kababaihan at mga kabataan, sa iba't-ibang bahagi ng Metro Manila at buong bansa," she added.

Binay said that violence against women and children remain a serious social concern and should not be ignored.

"Nakakabahala na pwedeng magkaroon ng posibleng paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao, lalo na karapatan ng mga kababaihan at mga kabataan, sa pagpapatupad ng pulis sa mga batas at ordinansa," Binay said.

The lady senator added that while she respects the police operations as an anti-crime prevention drive, the human rights of the people should not be discounted considering that those arrested and detained mostly belong to the poverty line.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recently stepped up its implementation of curfew ordinances in the country.

More than a hundred people in Las Piñas were arrested in violation of various city ordinances while 34 minors were captured in Mandaluyong last May.

Some parents and guardians in Quezon City were jailed for a few days because of their children violating curfew.

Binay said that it is possible that some minors may be traumatized by police operations.

"May mga insidente na pwedeng ma-trauma ang bata tulad ng pagprotekta ng isang ina sa kanyang anak, paninigaw sa mga pulis o sa magulang, o paglaban ng magulang sa mga pulis," Binay said.

She added that the police should step up their information dissemination drives to increase the public's awareness into their campaigns.

"Kailangan magsagawa ang mga pulis at lokal na otoridad ng mas pinaigting na mga information drives upang malaman ng ating mga kababayan ang mga kampanya nila. Dapat ding silang magkaroon ng refresher training tungkol sa human rights upang maiwasan ang mga posibleng paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao," Binay said.

Binay also called on the Commission on Human Rights to look into these arrests and rounding up of people and be watchful for human rights violations particularly that of minors.

"Responsibilidad po ng Estado na ipagtanggol ang karapatan ng mga bata laban sa mga anyo ng kapabayaan, pang-aabuso, pagmamalupit, at exploitation, at may mandato ang CHR na mag-imbestiga sa mga paglabag," Binay said.