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NR # 2588B
REF. NO.
NR # 2588B
REF. NO.
Under the bill to be known as the Human Rights Defenders Act of 2011, it shall be unlawful for any military official to deny the identification of government personnel, a military affiliate, a paramilitary or military asset when asked about the identity of the human rights violator. The bill prohibits security forces from conducting surveillance operations against a human rights defender. The bill provides that human rights defenders have the right to unhindered access to communication with human rights bodies, and the right to access documents of government agents and military institutions among others. The bill also provides for the protection of any informant who shall provide information or testify in any proceedings about any violation of this Act committed by any government personnel, local government unit, government agent be it the military or military affiliate. The same protection shall likewise be provided to any government agent belonging to the paramilitary or military affiliate who provides evidence against any human rights violations. The bill imposes 12 years imprisonment without privilege of parole on any government personnel or the whole complement of a government unit, the paramilitary personnel, or the whole complement of the paramilitary unit or the government asset. Likewise, 12 years imprisonment or a fine of P100,000 or both at the discretion of the court shall be imposed upon any government personnel who impede, obstruct, influence any preliminary investigation, administrative investigation and or petition by altering, destroying, concealing, falsifying or making any false entries in any record, document or specimen whereof, relative to any matter involving any human rights defenders, or organizations or activities. The co-authors of the bill are Reps. Teddy Casio (Party-list, Bayan Muna), Rafael Mariano (Party-list, Anakpawis), Gabriela Reps. Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmi De Jesus and Raymond Palatino (Party-list, Kabataan). (30) jy