Gov’t signs TOR to strengthen peace, human rights promotion

From the Philippine Information Agency (Nov 8): Gov’t signs TOR to strengthen peace, human rights promotion

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) formalized a partnership in peace and human rights promotion during a ceremonial signing of a terms of reference (TOR) Thursday. The interagency partnership, otherwise called Complaint Monitoring Working Group (CMWG), was formed to improve and focus on the processing of the human rights violations complaints associated with armed conflict between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the latter also representing the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army. The TOR shall serve as a guideline on the roles and functions of each agency in the substantiation, validation, verification and legal action accorded to complaints received by the GPH-Monitoring Committee (GPH-MC). Signatories to the TOR are Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita “Ging” Q. Deles, Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima, AFP Brigadier General Herbert S. Yambing and PNP Police Director Lina C. Sarmiento. During the ceremony, Chairman Loretta Ann P. Rosales of the Commission on Human Rights, though not officially part of the technical working group, also expressed support in the peace building endeavor of the CMWG.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=2111352352878