The Project “Community-based Dialogue Sessions on Human Rights Promotion and Protection between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Local Communities” has launched the Top-Level Policy Dialogues on Human Rights towards advancing the initial gains of the project from the grassroots to the national level. The launch was held on May 5, 2012 during the celebration of the 25th-year anniversary of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP) at the CHRP headquarters in Quezon City.

The launch was attended by key representatives of partner organizations led by CHRP Chairperson Loretta Ann P. Rosales, PNP Deputy Director General Arturo G. Cacdac Jr., AFP Human Rights Office (HRO) Chief, Colonel Domingo J. Tutaan Jr., National Coordinator of Alternative Law Groups (ALG) and Project Lead Person, Atty. Marlon J. Manuel, Project Director of Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF), Ms. Criselle Capistrano, Chairman of Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), Mr. Max de Mesa, and Resident Representative of Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany (HSF), Mr. Paul G. Schäfer as well as other senior representatives of these institutions. The occasion was also graced by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila M. de Lima and Undersecretary Francisco F. Baraan III, Department of National Defense (DND) Program Manager Commodore Miguel Jose S. Rodriguez, Supreme Court (SC) of the Philippines Deputy Court Administrator Atty. Raul B. Villanueva and other officials from executive agencies and international organizations.

A highlight of the event was the signing of a “Declaration of Commitment” among key officials of the participating agencies and institutions in the process of regular dialogues that are expected to result in policy and operational changes towards the promotion and protection of human rights and the improvement of relationship between the security forces and the civilian population.

The Top Level Policy Dialogues on Human Rights is one of the main components of the project following the series of dialogue session at the regional level covering the 17 administrative regions of the country. It aims to institutionalize collaboration between the security forces and civilians in the promotion and protection of human rights through this top-level, multi-agency and multi-sectoral dialogue mechanism parallel to the mechanisms established on the ground as initiated by the project. This will help in addressing a need to translate the issues and recommendations that were identified in the various regions into concrete changes in policy and operating procedures primarily of the AFP and the PNP, and also in other aspects of governance concerning other agencies.

The project will convene regular policy discussion sessions and policy formulation workshops that will involve the leaders of various government and non-government stakeholders including the leadership of the security forces (Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs of the AFP and PNP), government human rights bodies (Chair and Commissioners of the CHR and the Presidential Human Rights Committee), other government agencies of the Executive Department (Secretaries of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Department of Justice, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of National Defense), members of the Congress and the Judiciary, and civil society organizations (especially their national networks).