Hinamon ni Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque ang University of the Philippines Diliman Executive Committee na patunayan ang alegasyon na naging poor o mahina ang kanyang track record sa pagtataguyod ng human rights at rule of law lalo na sa panahon ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.
Ginawa ni Roque ang hamon matapos tutulan ng UP Diliman Executive Committee ang nominasyon ni Roqye bilang kinatawan ng United Nation’s International Law Commission.
Ayon kay Roque, iginagalang niya ang karapatan ng komite na tumutol sa kanyang nominasyon lalo na ng maging tagapagsalita ni Pangulong Duterte.
Sinabi pa ni Roque na hindi naman lahat ay matutuwa at sasang-ayon sa kanyang mga desisyon.
“However, the flimsy justification made to object to my nomination and election to the International Law Commission makes it clear that there are some sectors who will do everything to besmirch my good name, reputation and integrity simply because I do not subscribe to and share their same political beliefs,” pahayag ni Roque.
Ayon kay Roque, pulitika ang nakikitang niyang rason sa pagtutol ng UP Diliman Executive Committee.
“It is unfortunate that some members of the UP academe would conveniently ignore and erase over thirty years of hard work and concrete accomplishments simply because our politics do not align,” pahayag ni Roque.
Nakasasakit aniya ng puso na binalewala ng UP ang 30 taon niyang pagiging advocate ng human rights at pagiging kinatawan ng mga naapi.
“It is very disheartening to have my nomination to the International Law Commission politicized, especially considering that the ILC itself is not a political body. Rather, it is an expert group of people who have the necessary credentials and experience in public international law needed to codify customary international law and develop the same. My curriculum vitae speaks for itself regarding my credentials in the field of public international law,” pahayag ni Roque.
Hindi aniya totoo ang paratang ng UP.
“I wish to challenge this assessment because it is untrue. For over 30 years, I have been an advocate of human rights, having spent most of my professional life as a member of civil society and as a public interest lawyer representing persons and sectors who have needed to be championed,” pahayag ni Roque.
Inihalimbawa pa ng kalihim ang pagiging abogado ng 19 journalist at iba pang biktima sa Ampatuan massacre sa domestic courts at international monitoring bodies at iba pang kaso.
“Despite the UP Executive Committee best efforts in belittling my track record in human rights and ignoring altogether my credentials in field of public international law, which is what is relevant to the mandate of the International Law Commission, I wish to assure my former colleagues in UP that my commitment to human rights and the rule of law has not wavered,” pahayag ni Roque.
Sakaling palarin si Roque na maging miyembro ng ILC, tiniyak ng kalihim na magiging adbokasiya niya ang vaccine equality sa lahat ng bansa.
“Given the opportunity to be a member of the ILC, I have declared that I will be advocating for a treaty for vaccine equality among countries and a treaty recognizing as conclusive laws that identify territories of countries and ensuring maritime jurisdictions in the event of a rise in sea level driven by climate change,” pahayag ni Roque.