A/HRC/ 8/28 Page 3 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its first session from 7 to 18 April 2008. The review of the Philippines was held at the 10th meeting on 11 April 2008. The delegation of the Philippines was headed by H.E. Eduardo R. Ermita, Executive Secretary (Minister) and Chairman of the Presidential Human Rights Committee of the Philippines. For the composition of the delegation, see annex to the present report. At its 14th meeting held on 15 April 2008, the Working Group adopted the present report on the Philippines. 2. On 28 February 2008, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of the Philippines: Malaysia, Mali and Germany. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of the Philippines: (a) A national report submitted in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/1/PHL/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/1/PHL/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR, in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/1/PHL/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Ireland, Portugal, Canada, Italy, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, France and Romania was transmitted to the Philippines through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the UPR. I. SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE REVIEW PROCESS A. Presentation by the State under review 5. At the 10th meeting of the Working Group on 11 April 2008, the Executive Secretary (Minister) and Chairman of the Presidential Human Rights Committee, Mr. Eduardo R. ERMITA, introduced the national report of the Philippines, which focuses on five major issues and assured of the willingness of the Government and the people of the Philippines to place the highest priority on the protection and promotion of the rights of all Filipinos. He recalled that the Philippines has experienced significant human rights abuses both during times of war and during a long period of dictatorship. The Philippines strongly supported the implementation of the UPR as a pioneering innovation in the common global effort to promote and protect human right everywhere. 6. First, the Philippines has created and nurtured vital institutions the mandates of which are crucial to the promotion and protection of human rights. The 1987 Constitution created an independent commission on human rights, the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP), which has gained the respect of the international community in the performance of its mandate. The Constitution also created the Office of the Ombudsman as an independent body to protect the people from governmental corruption and abuse. In the Executive Branch, the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC) monitors and coordinates human rights compliance