Philippines to look into UN body's recommendations on 'comfort women'

Recognizing the suffering of Filipino women during World War II, the government vowed to look into a United Nations (UN) panel report saying the Philippines has failed to meet its obligations to the "comfort women."

“The government of the Philippines recognizes the suffering of female victims of atrocious violations that occurred during the Second World War," the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement Friday.

“The government of the Philippines remains fully committed to women's rights pursuant to its international human rights obligations and national laws and jurisprudence,” it added.

The PCO issued the remark following the findings of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) that the country violated the rights of victims of sexual slavery committed by the Japanese Army in World War II.

"In this regard, we note that some reparations have been made and the Supreme Court has adjudicated on the matter,” the PCO said.

It added the government will "study the views of the committee and submit a written response within the time frame of six months as provided under the optional protocol to the CEDAW."

According to the UN panel, the Philippines breached its obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women after examining the complaint of 24 Filipino women.

The committee also recommended that the complainants receive from the State party "full reparation, including recognition and redress, an official apology and material and moral damages.”

It said that this was for the "continuous discrimination that they suffered and restitution, rehabilitation and satisfaction, including the restoration of their dignity and reputation, which includes financial reparation proportionate to the physical, psychological and material damage suffered by them and to the gravity of the violations of their rights."

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he will hold a dialogue with the Senate and House of Representatives for the passage of necessary legislation to indemnify victims of sexual slavery committed by the Japanese Army during World War II.—LDF, GMA Integrated News