The Department of Justice has assured visiting United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan of the Philippine government’s commitment to protect freedom of expression and opinion.

During the dialogue. Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said the meeting with Khan “strengthened our commitment to transparency, accountability, and the pursuit of justice and human rights. We remain dedicated to implementing meaningful reforms and upholding the highest standards in our judicial framework.”

Vasquez made the statement after what he described as successful conclusion of a comprehensive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur.

The Philippine government hosted a dinner to welcome Khan who arrived in the country on Monday.

The dinner was hosted by the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) at Barbara’s Heritage restaurant in Manila. It was also joined by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and other government agencies.

According to the NTF - ELCAC during the welcome dinner, "participants had the opportunity to discuss the freedom of opinion and expression situation in the country, as well as to explore the challenges and best practices related to the protection of freedom of expression and speech as a fundamental human right."

Khan also highlighted the importance of multiple perspectives and that it is essential to learn and listen to both governmental viewpoints and community voices.

“I would like to understand your perspective, I hope you will understand mine. And together we can move to this extremely difficult issue of freedom of opinion and expression to further make it stronger," she said. DMS-Robina Asido