Most Davao folk oppose abolition of CHR

Antonio L. Colina IV

July 18, 2018
5:09 pm

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/18 July) – Sixty-five percent of Dabawenyos still see the importance of the Commission on Human Rights despite the attacks against it by President Rodrigo Duterte, a survey conducted by the University of Mindanao’s Institute of Popular Opinion (IPO) said.

“As noted, more people would not support the abolition of the CHR, perhaps because it is a constitutional body and, in some degree, it serves its purpose,” Dr. Maria Linda B. Arquiza, assistant vice president of the IPO’s Research and Publication Center, said during “Wednesdays Habi at Kape.”

But 65% of the 1,200 respondents of the survey conducted from April 17 to 22 said the commission is not doing its mandate to protect human rights. Only 26% believe it does, and 9% did not give a response.

Forty-seven percent of the respondents believe the commission remains a relevant institution.

Last March, the CHR urged the Duterte administration to cooperate with the International Criminal Court in investigating the allegations of extrajudicial killings resulting from his bloody war on drugs.

This did not sit well with the President.[]

He threatened to withdraw from the Rome Statute, which created the ICC.

The ICC is a 124-member intergovernmental organization and international tribunal based in The Hague, Netherlands with the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

Duterte also declared he wanted to abolish the commission, a constitutional body.

Asked of the public’s awareness, Arquiza said at least 78% of Dabawenyos are aware of the investigation on the alleged government abuses in the anti-illegal drugs war, 21% do not know, and 1% have no response.[]

She said 60% of those who are aware do not favor the investigation while only 30% favor it, and 10% did not give a response.[]

Of those who favor the investigation, 46% came from the city’s 1^st District, generally aged 18 to 40 years (65%) and are married (44%) and mostly from income class C (47%).

Those who oppose it also came from the 1^st District, 18 to 30 years old (42%), and belong to income class CD (83%). (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)

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