The sun rises into the haze of another Manila morning. More than 4000 days have passed since the country ratified the OPCAT in 2012.
Over the past two years, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) of the Philippines sought to break the deadlock around NPM establishment by starting work as an "Interim NPM" (INPM). Through visits to police stations, the INPM sought to build trust and understanding among detaining authorities of what prevention means.
Since 2008 when the United Against Torture Coalition was established, civil society voices have been crucial in advancing efforts to establish an NPM in the Philippines.
Detaining authorities share experiences from the last visit of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, as the Philippines prepares for the SPT's second visit in 2023 - a key moment for advocacy around NPM establishment.
Detaining authorities share experiences from the last visit of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, as the Philippines prepares for the SPT's second visit in 2023 - a key moment for advocacy around NPM establishment.
Nid, APT's Regional Program Manager, joins discussions at the CHR via Zoom.
Over the next 12 months, the new CHR commissioners plan an advocacy strategy around passage of NPM legislation through congress.
While different NPM models have been discussed over the past decade, CSOs and the CHR agree that an "attached agency" is the best model for the Philippines - linking the future NPM to the CHR but also guaranteeing its autonomy.
Members of the CHR visitorial office have years of experience conducting visits, experience which will be crucial as a new NPM gets down to work.
No matter how well-resourced, a future NPM will struggle to visit all places where people are detained in the Philippines. This is why an approach focused on risks, targeting the most vulnerable in detention, including LGBTI persons, is key to effectiveness.
While the human rights situation is more positive than it has been in recent years, the streets still tell a story of struggle.
Beyond NPM establishment, the APT's work though our Safe in Custody project, involves national CSO partners in creative and innovative efforts to reduce the risk of torture and ill-treatment in police custody.
