NDCP hosts forum on Security Sector Reform
POSTED BY: g banlaoi
DATE POSTED: 2008-06-09
NDCP, in partnership with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), Institute for Strategic and Development Studies (ISDS) and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), hosted the "Forum on Security Sector Reform/Security Sector Governance: Basic Concepts, Local-International Practices and Philippine Realities" on Wednesday, 28 May, at the NDCP Honor Hall.
The half-day forum featured Dr Heiner Hänggi, Assistant Director and Head of Research of DCAF, who shared the basic concepts and international discourse on security sector reform and governance (SSR/SSG), as well as lessons and best practices from the SSR experiences of other countries. According to Dr Hänggi, security sector reform is an arduous undertaking that needs a great deal of resources and time in order to be fully realized.
ISDS Founding President and Chair Dr Carolina G Hernandez discussed “SSR in the Philippine Context.” Dr Hernandez argued that the enormous influence of active and retired military and police officials in the conduct of Philippine politics, coupled with weak oversight institutions, poses a great challenge to security sector reform and governance in the country. She concluded by saying, “much is left to be desired about the state of security sector reform and governance in the Philippines,” and that the task [of improving SSG and promoting SSR] has to be shared by the government, civil society and the academe.
Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary Hon Antonio C Santos Jr, National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) Director Ms Norma T Pullen and Civil Relations Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (CRS, AFP) Commanding General BGen Nestor R Sadiarin (AFP), who constituted the panel of reactors, all agreed that SSR is indeed a welcome development in the theory and practice of security sector governance in the Philippines.
The activity culminated with the introduction of the Handbook on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Armed Forces Personnel facilitated by DCAF Senior Research Fellow Dr Hans Born who co-wrote the book. The handbook – a product of partnership between DCAF and the Organization for Security Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) – enumerates the extents and limitations of human rights and fundamental freedoms of armed forces personnel.
Post-9/11 security challenges, supremacy of civilian authority over the military, the role of the media as a component of the security sector, and the importance of reconciling external assistance with local ownership of the reform were among the salient issues raised during the open forum that followed each presentation.
The audience of more than 80 participants included the NDCP MNSA Regular Class 43; representatives from key security sector agencies such as the DND, AFP, Philippine National Police (PNP), NAPOLCOM, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); as well as advocates from various civil society organizations. Ambassador of Switzerland, HE Peter Sutter and newly appointed Commission on Human Rights Chair Atty Leila De Lima also participated in the activity. (Au Quilala and Mar Francisco)
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