WHEREAS, the Constitution provides in the Declaration of Principles and State Policies that, œThe State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights ;

WHEREAS, this Government is firmly committed to protect human rights and promote its observance by all;

WHEREAS, there is a need for a standing body with representatives from the Executive, Congress, the Commission on Human Rights, and private sector human rights groups to assess and monitor, on a continuing basis, the Philippine human rights situation and to advise the President on the proper measures that ought to be taken without delay.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. There is hereby created a Human Right Committee, to be composed of:

The Secretary of Justice as Chairman
The Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, the Presidential Legal Counsel, a representative of the Department of National Defense, a Senator and a Congressman as the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives may wish to designate and two representatives of private human rights groups to be nominated by said groups and appointed by the President, as Members.

SECTION 2. The Committee shall exercise the following functions and duties:

1. To assess and monitor the Philippine human rights situation and advise the President so that proper measures can forthwith be taken effectively;
   
   
2. To assist relatives to locate persons who have disappeared and are believed to be detained illegally; and
   
   
3. To perform such other functions and duties as may be necessary to meet the objectives of the Committee.

SECTION 3. The Committee shall have a Secretariat which shall be located in the Department of Justice. The Secretariat shall provide staff support to the Committee.

SECTION 4. The amount of One Hundred Thousand (P100,000.00) Pesos, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized to be released from the Compensation and Organizational Adjustment Fund in the 1988 General Appropriations Act or from such other lump-sum appropriations as may be determined by the Department of Budget and Management for the operational requirements of the Committee.

SECTION 5. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 13th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-eight.


By the President:
(Sgd.) CATALINO MACARAIG, JR.
Executive Secretary