Philippines

Recognise the competence of the Committee Against Torture to review individual complaints under Article 22 of the Convention Against Torture, ratify the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and pass the NPM Bill without delay, establishing an independent oversight body to prevent torture and ill-treatment in detention facilities, in line with its obligations under the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT).

Collaborate with international organisations, such as the United Nations and regional human rights bodies, to seek technical assistance, share best practices, and participate in capacity-building programmes.

Provide comprehensive training for law enforcement, military officers and personnel and other concerned authorities on human rights, with a strong emphasis on the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, including of children, and its gendered dimensions. Regularly assess officers' skills, particularly in arrest procedures, and establish confidential reporting mechanisms to encourage the reporting of human rights abuses in police stations, prisons, rehabilitation centres, such as Bahay Pag-Asa, mental or psychiatric institutions and other facilities, including safe houses under witness protection programmes.

Establish and institutionalise an effective mechanism for unannounced visits to regularly monitor all places of detention, as part of a broader effort to ensure that detention practices fully comply with international human rights standards. This includes promoting alternatives to detention, prioritising non-coercive methods, and addressing the lack of reliable statistical data by strengthening reporting and documentation systems on the use and conditions of detention, including pretrial detention.

Conduct independent and transparent investigations into extrajudicial killings linked to the 'war-on-drugs', ensuring that all perpetrators are held accountable in accordance with international human rights standards. Fully cooperate with international mechanisms investigating human rights violations and take all necessary steps to create a secure and supportive environment that enables victims, their families, and civil society organisations that support them to safely engage in the legal process, both at the international level and within Philippine courts. Strengthen domestic accountability by enhancing the capacity of the Commission on Human Rights with sufficient resources to investigate allegations of torture and other abuses, establishing specialised units within the legal system to investigate and prosecute cases of torture and reviewing and amending the Anti-Terrorism Act, in particular articles 25 and 29. Additionally, regularly publish sex-disaggregated data and reports on measures taken to prevent torture.

Offer comprehensive support services and rehabilitation programmes to victims of torture, including access to medical care, physical and psychological support, and legal assistance.

Address all forms of gender-based torture and remove criminal penalties imposed on women and girls seeking abortions, as well as on medical service providers assisting them. Additionally, review the Witness Protection Program to ensure that witnesses are protected from intimidation, discrimination, and gender-based violence.

Ensure the implementation of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, including ensuring that children are only detained as a last resort, and establish and implement diversion mechanisms, in line with international standards. Ensure the absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment of children, including in police stations during arrests, in police custody and in any deprivation of liberty, and the prohibition of arbitrary arrests and detention. Ensure accountability, without reprisals, for cases of torture and extrajudicial killings of children.

Repeal or amend restrictive laws, such as the Anti-Terrorism Act, that undermine freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and to foster an environment where civil society can operate without fear of reprisal. Ensure the swift passage of the Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Protection Bill, ensuring it includes strong legal safeguards against harassment, arbitrary detention and other forms of retaliation, and enact an Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) legislation to protect freedom of expression and prevent legal harassment of human rights defenders and journalists.

Enhance collaboration with civil society organisations, local elected officials, community leaders, and the media to raise awareness about the consequences of torture and the importance of upholding human rights. Encourage greater community participation in the monitoring and reporting of human rights violations.