instruments, the Commission on Human Rights shall take cognizance of and investigate, on its own or on complaint by any party, all forms of human rights violations and abuses involving civil and political rights, to include but not limited to the following: a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j) k) l) m) n) o) right to life; right to liberty; right to security; right to respect for one’s dignity; freedom from slavery and involuntary servitude; freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment; right to protection from enforced disappearance; freedom from arbitrary interference with one’s privacy, family, home, or correspondence; freedom from arbitrary arrest, detention or exile; freedom of movement and residence; freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom of the press, speech, opinion and expression; freedom from discrimination; right to marry and to found a family; and, right to own property. Section 2. The Commission on Human Rights shall monitor the Philippine Government’s compliance with international human rights treaties and instruments to which the Philippines is a State party. This includes, but is not limited to, the actions taken by the Government, the manner and/or means of implementation or application of the human rights related laws, principles, norms and standards, in relation to the State obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of all persons within the Philippines, as well as Filipinos residing abroad. Corollary thereto, the Commission on Human Rights, in line with its role as a national human rights institution, shall also investigate and monitor all economic, social and cultural rights violations and abuses, as well as threats of violations thereof, especially with respect to the conditions of those who are marginalized, disadvantaged, and vulnerable. (Emphasis ours)17 The Philippines is a signatory to and/or has ratified various international human rights instruments listed in Annex “A.” In 2008, the Human Rights Council adopted Resolution 7/23, which states that climate change “poses an immediate and far-reaching threat to people and communities around the world and has implications for the full enjoyment of human rights.”18 The link between human rights and climate change was further clarified in the 2009 report of the Office of the High !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 17 Commission on Human Rights, The Omnibus Rules of Procedure of the Commission on Human Rights, i-ii, Apr. 2012. 18 Human Rights Council Res. 7/23,,U.N. Doc. A/HRC/7/78, July 14, 2008, at preambular para. 1. ! 8! ! ! ! ! !