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Last August 20, 2010 an unfortunate incident happened between Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Commissioner Cecilia Rachel V. Quisumbing and some members of the media during a press briefing at the Commission on Human Rights in connection with the torture video involving a Manila police officer.
In the first incident that morning, Commissioner Quisumbing scolded and spoke harshly to a reporter of DZMM who had requested a one-on-one interview in private. Shortly, she had an outburst of temper to a group of reporters at the start of a media briefing during which she scolded them for not following her instructions, told a reporter of TV5 not to sit in a certain chair, and made a long rant of anger directed at the group. This, before she proceeded to answer the questions posed by the reporters.
The CHR, as an institution, puts a high premium on the role that media plays in human rights advocacy and has earnestly worked hard in establishing this vital partnership. This statement being issued to clarify to the public that this behavior is outside the standards of behavior becoming a member of the Commission and that such has been discussed with the Commissioner. Her actions and statement in those two separate incidents are neither supported nor endorsed by the Commission, which engages and encourages the media to take an active part in human rights activities.
This behavior, from no less than a member of the Commission, exemplifies in the negative what respect for human dignity and for fellow humans is. The institution has been wronged in the public eye by this unfortunate incident, as much as the media sector, as it casts doubt on its constitutional mandate of promoting and protecting human rights.
The Commission recognizes, however, that Commissioner Quisumbing has sincerely and accordingly extended her apologies to the media, to the general public, and, in a meeting, to the Commission en banc.
With this statement, the Commission considers this matter closed and hopes that no further such incidents will occur in the future.
