Drilon: Senate minority supports Sen. Lacson's decision to endorse P678-M budget of CHR

The Senate Minority Bloc will support Senator Panfilo Lacson who chairs the Senate sub-committee that endorsed a P678-million budget of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for 2018 amidst the decision of the House of Representatives to slash the budget of the constitutional body to P1,000, according to Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon.

"We stand by the decision of the sub-committee of Senator Lacson to give the Commission on Human Rights P678 million budget for 2018," Drilon said, adding:

"The senate minority will support him in restoring, or even increasing, the budget of the constitutional commission mandated by no less than the Constitution to protect human rights and to conduct investigations on human rights violations against marginalized and vulnerable sectors of the society."

The minority leader said that more than ever, the CHR should be "provided with adequate funds" amidst the killing and reports of human rights violations that are happening in the country the past few months.

"We believe that the CHR plays a very critical role in this government particularly in light of the numerous killings in the campaign against illegal drugs, most especiialy those involving the death of teenagers such as Kian Lloyd delos Santos," Drilon said.

Apart from investigating human rights vioaltions, the agency, Drilon emphasized, performs many other tasks such as to serve vulnerable sectors of societies, particularly workers including overseas Filipino workers and their families, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, internally displaced persons, senior citizens, persons with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (SOGIE), women, children, youth, and other marginalized groups.

Aside from Drilon, the Senate Minority Bloc is composed of Senators Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Benigno Paulo "Bam" Aquino IV, and Leila De Lima, all belonging to the Liberal Party; Sen. Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV; and Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros.