By PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian

in Region 1 on Wednesday honored the late nationalist and Senator Jose W. Diokno, considered as the modern day father of human rights in the Philippines.

Police Chief Superintendent Franklin Jesus B. Bucayu, Region 1 police director, was the guest of honor and speaker in the celebration held at the Police Regional Office 1 (PRO1) Concord Building.

During the occasion, “Ka Pepe”, nickname of Diokno, was hailed as the supreme advocate of human rights during the Marcos regime and also the founder of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), an association of lawyers from all over the Philippines, who render free services to promote the rule of law and respect for human rights in the society.

Bucayu, former chief of the Human Rights Affairs Office of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame, shared his expertise in human rights and law enforcement when he lectured on Republic Act 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crime against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and other crimes against humanity, RA 9745 or the Anti-Torture Law, RA 9262 or the Anti-Violence against Women and Children, RA 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law, other pertinent laws, statutes and ordinances.

“Our prime duty is to serve the people and to protect their rights,” he said.

Bucayu also said the activity is timely and relevant, in view of the PNP’s current thrust to effectively implement its 10-Point Action Plan, specifically on Rights-Based Policing wherein there is strict adherence to the basic tenets of human rights with emphasis on the Police Operational Procedures to plug loopholes.

Danilo T. Balino, information officer of CHR-Regional Officer 1, shared the lecture of Diokno entitled “Human Rights Make Man Human.”

The activity was joined by participants from PRO1-HRAO, Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) officers from the four police provincial offices of the region, members of the CHR-RO1, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), lawyers, stakeholders and barangay officials.

The one-day celebration ended with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the CHR-RO1 represented by Officer-In-Charge Atty. Romel P. Daguimol, and the PNP- PRO1 represented by Chief Supt. Bucayu.

The MOA’s main objective is to be able to develop a database/ databank of abuse cases involving women and children as victims, for easy monitoring and for rendering other interventions and not to discriminate members of the opposite sex.

It also stated partnership in strengthening the protection of child and woman victims through a more systematic and comprehensive documentation of complaints of women and children and in other related interventions that will promote the best interest of the women and children.