Remulla, CPP fronts, to ‘square off’ in Geneva

DEPARTMENT of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has flown to Geneva, Switzerland, to head the Philippine delegation to the fourth round of ‘peer-review’ on the country’s human rights record last November 11, 2022, where he is expected to ‘square off’ once again with the front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Under the auspices of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Philippines participated three times previously in the ‘Universal Periodic Review’ (UPR), in 2008, 2012, and 2017.

The review of the Philippine’s human rights record that would cover the last 4 years of the Duterte administration, from January 2017-July 2021, happens on Monday, November 14, 2022.

Flying ahead of the Philippine delegation are representatives of known CPP fronts and their infiltrated organizations such as the National Council of Churches of the Philippines (NCCP).

In a statement dated November 11, 2022 and datelined in Geneva, Mervin Sol Toquero, NCCP program secretary was quickly off the mark in accusing the Philippines of “failing to end attacks on church people.”

“Attacks on churches and our leaders and workers have been reported in previous UPRs,” said Toquero during a forum sponsored by the Franciscan International a day earlier titled, ‘Can the UPR address impunity in the Philippines.’

The NCCP claims to be an ecumenical fellowship of non-Roman Catholic denominations in the Philippines.

The NCCP leadership, however, like its member group, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), is heavily infiltrated by the CPP thru its ‘National Church Bureau’ and the party’s underground organization, ‘Christians for National Liberation’ (CNL), according to the national security cluster. The CPP’s youth arm in the religious sector is the ‘Student Christian Movement of the Philippines’ (SCMP), which is reported to have joined the NCCP in the propaganda campaign against the country in Geneva, along with ‘Ibon Foundation,’ another CPP-created front organization in the academe.

The penetration and subversion of religious groups and the creation of bogus human rights organizations and other bogus ‘mass organizations’ representing other social sectors have been one of the key objectives of the CPP under its ‘United Front Commission.’

It can be recalled that last February, during the campaign period, it was inside a seminary in Bacolod City that top leaders of the CPP met in secret in order to sow chaos during the May 9, 2022 elections to prevent the victory of then candidate, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. for president and in favor of the CPP’s candidate, Vice President Leni Robredo (see Pinoy Exposé, April 1, 2022). This is another clear indication of just how far the CPP has penetrated the hierarchy of church groups in the Philippines.

Two other CPP fronts in the Philippine media, ‘Bulatlat.com’ and ‘Pinoy Weekly,’ had also sent their letter of complaint at the UNHRC addressed to UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights, Mary Lawlor and Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression Irene Khan, for the purported violation of their freedom of expression at the end of October.

All these efforts by the CPP front groups are aimed at influencing beforehand the UNHRC’s opinion about the Philippines even before Secretary Remulla can make his opening statement.

For his part, Remulla said he will go to the UPR with a very clear message.

“The Philippines, under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, is working to deliver transformational reform of its justice and law enforcement sectors — to enhance the enjoyment of human rights of all our citizens — based on the rule of law and respect for due process,” he said in a statement.

“Our delegation looks forward to listening to the observations and any new recommendations that the UN Member States will put forward,” Remulla added.

However, Remulla also made it clear that he would not be bullied into accepting all the ‘recommendations’ from the UNHRC.

“In the UPR, each country is free to respond to issues in the manner it deems most appropriate. There is no obligation to accept all recommendations,” he pointed out.

In a talk with Pinoy Exposé before his departure, Remulla even smiled at the thought of again confronting CPP operatives, this time in the international arena. “Bakit kaya ba nila ako,” he mused.

Joining Remulla in the official delegation are other senior officials from the Department of Justice, the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat, and the Department of Foreign Affairs, including the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the UN in Geneva.

“While in Geneva, I will also meet with Filipino community leaders to brief them about developments here at home and get to know them better,” he said.