ASEAN police officials to promote human rights-based policing

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Driven by a common goal of promoting and enhancing human-rights based policing all over Southeast Asia, the officials vowed ‘to work as one in fulfilling their shared vision to make Southeast Asia safe, secure, prosperous and human rights compliant.’

Journal | May 05, 2015

TOP Southeast Asian police officials have vowed a much stronger push for the protection of human rights in the region after signing a joint communique in which they vowed to adhere to the principles of rule of law and justice and fully promote a human rights-based policing system as they jointly battle transnational crimes and terrorism.

Officials who attended the two-day 1st Southeast Asia Human Rights Forum for Police Officials in Antipolo City sponsored by the Philippine National Police in coordination with the German Hanns Seidel Foundation last week also adopted the theme ‘Respect for Human Rights as a Way of Life’ as their guiding advocacy at the end of the historic event held at the First Pacific Leadership Academy.

Driven by a common goal of promoting and enhancing human-rights based policing all over Southeast Asia, the officials vowed ‘to work as one in fulfilling their shared vision to make Southeast Asia safe, secure, prosperous and human rights compliant.’

They also declared to keep the region safe by protecting the rights of all people and by fighting all forms of crime and terrorism; pursue relentlessly free-wheeling dialogues and information exchange for future policy-making in law enforcement that is compatible with and supportive of international human rights protocols; explore areas of avenue for police training exchanges particularly on the application of human rights principles and practices in police operations; and  recognize and acknowledge the invaluable cooperation and support of concerned southeast Asian governments, the international community, civil society and human rights cooperation for the success of their noble mission.

The signatories include PNP officials, Director Christopher A. Laxa, PNP Human Rights Affairs Office director, Chief Superintendent Antonio B. Viernes; Chief Supt. Cedrick G. Train, the deputy regional director for administration of the Police Regional Office 12; Senior Supt. Noel A. Baraceros of the Center for Police Strategy and Management; and Senior Supt. Leonardo M. Cesneros.

Others were Supt. Radin Mohammad Basiuni of the Royal Brunei Police Force; Major Yim San of the Cambodian National Police; Supt. Rony Samtana of the Indonesian National Police; Brigadier General Thein OO and Colonel Kyaw Win Thein of the Myanmar Police Force; Major General Pisan Mookjang and Colonel Kongpiti Onmak of the Royal Thai Police; and Major Gen. Nguyen Van Nhat and Se. Lieutenant Nguyen Thi Van of the Vietnam Police Force.

Witnesses to the signing of the communique were Supt. Yuli Cahyanti of the ASEANAPOL Secretariat; Ms. Epifania O. Garay of the Commission on Human Rights and Mr. Paul G. Schaefer of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.

The PNP, in cooperation with the Hanns Seidel Foundation organized the First Southeast Asia Human Rights Forum for Police Officials aimed at further promoting and strengthening the police officers’ respect for human rights and the rule of law.

PNP Officer-in-Charge, Deputy Director General Leonardo A. Espina,  German Ambassador to The Philippines Thomas Ossowski and other senior police delegates from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam graced the event.

Viernes said the ASEAN police forum aims to promote the need for the regional police force to strictly adhere to the principles of human rights-based policing.

Recently, the PNP and Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany renewed its partnership which started in 2008. Both parties have been working closely to mainstream human rights in the PNP through human rights education and training, community-based dialogues, and the development of various knowledge of products, tools, and guides on human rights-based policing.

The forum is set against the backdrop of the forthcoming ASEAN Integration this coming December 31. This ASEAN Integration, although primarily economic in nature, presents an opportunity for Security Sector officials in the region to discuss and share insights for the incorporation of International Human Rights Standard for Law Enforcement and International Humanitarian Law in their respective jurisdiction, said PNP spokesman, Senior Supt. Bartolome C. Tobias.