Watch: House Approves CHR P1,000 Budget for 2018, CHR Chairman Luis Gascon Cries With Joy (Video)

The House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 approved a budget of only P1,000 to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for 2018. The nearly-zero budget was approved via majority votes, with at least 119 congressmen voted Ýes’ and only 32 voted ‘No. Watch the deliberation of some of the lawmakers on the video below.



According to SAGIP Representative Rodante Marcoleta, who moved for the P1,000 CHR budget, it failed to investigate the human rights violations committed by terrorists. He added that the CHR is not considered a valid agency because it was created during the time of the late president Cory Aquino in 1986, when there was no active Congress.

However, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman immediately contradicted Marcoleta, emphasizing that Aquino was then exercising both executive and legislative powers. He added that CHR is very much relevant today especially that there are many cases of human rights violations, and that it would be very unconstitutional if its budget is only P1,000 for 2018.

"Emasculating and killing the CHR with an annual budget of only P1,000 is unconstitutional, because it virtually abolishes a constitutional body or office by legislation. We cannot abolish a constitutional office by legislation." Lagman said, who along with CHR Chairman Jose Luis “Chito” Gascon are both allies of the Liberal Party (LP).

In an earlier interview, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said that the CHR is not performing its duty. “Ngayon, kung gusto mong protektahan yung rights ng criminal, eh kumuha ka ng budget sa mga criminal. Ganun lang kasimple yun. Bakit ka kukuha ng budget sa gobyerno, eh hindi mo ginagawa yung (trabaho mo),” he said.



When sought for reaction on the P1,000 budget for CHR, Chairman Gascon admitted that he cried with joy. According to him, he was very happy not because of the very low approved budget, but because of the support from the lawmakers who fought for them, where most of them belong to LP and leftists, including Gabriela and Bayan Muna.



“I became teary-eyed because these were tears of joy. Not that we lost our budget. But because there were so many (lawmakers) who stood up. Not the majority, but so many. In fact of those at the first stage who did not vote aye but had to stand up also approached me and said: That’s the politics of the majority.” Chairman Gascon told reporters.

Contributed by Abner Esteno