Duterte on ₱1,000 CHR budget: Gascon had it coming

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 13) — President Rodrigo Duterte said the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairperson has earned the ire of members of the House of Representatives, hence the P1,000 budget.

"He had it coming," Duterte told the media Wednesday morning. "Ito si Gascon, palibhasa pro-dilaw talaga, he opens his mouth in a most inappropriate way and he conducts the business of being CHR. Walang alam," the President added, referring to CHR Chairperson Chito Gascon.

[Translation: CHR Chairperson Chito Gascon is pro-yellow. He opens his mouth in a most inappropriate way and he conducts the business of being CHR. He doesn't know anything.]

The House of Representatives approved on Tuesday the P1,000 budget for CHR, which practically renders it useless.

The budget will still go through the Senate, but Duterte said the House of Representatives "might review their decision someday."

The President criticized how CHR conducts investigations, and cited the Marawi crisis as example, when the Commission deployed a team, days after the crisis broke out.

"You know because the human rights will not investigate the Maute or the ISIS. The Human Rights Commission is geared to investigate government abuses and mistakes, shortcomings, whatever," Duterte said.

Under Section 18 of the 1987 Constitution, the CHR is mandated to "monitor the Philippine Government's compliance with international treaty on human rights."

The President said the Commission has no prosecutory power, so they should compile cases instead before making a recommendation.

"You have already concluded na merong violation dito, ganun-ganun. Ang gawain mo maghintay sila. They cannot just investigate," Duterte said. "Bantayan nila 'yung pulis, tingnan nila. They collate. They collate. Ipunin. Then they make a study and then they file the appropriate recommendation."

[Translation: You have already concluded that there is a violation. They should wait. They cannot just investigate. Look after the police, collate, collate, compile. Then they make a study and then they file the appropriate recommendation.]

The President has previously slammed the investigations of the Commission, especially on the administration's war on drugs.

READ: CHR backs Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International on war on drugs

During the press conference after his second State of the Nation Address on July 24, 2017, Duterte threatened to abolish the CHR, but took it back days after, saying it was just a joke.

CNN Philippines correspondent Ina Andolong contributed to this report.