CHR chief Gascon succumbs to COVID-19MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chairman Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon passed away early yesterday due to COVID-19. Appointed by former president Benigno Aquino III to the CHR in 2015, Gascon was a political activist whose work focused on human rights, democracy and governance. Gascon was Aquino’s undersecretary for political affairs until 2014, when he was appointed as member of the Human Rights Victims Claims Board established to process the reparation of victims of human rights violations during the dictatorship. Human rights lawyer and former SC spokesman Theodore Te described Gascon as a giant for human rights who stood his ground, held fast and took the fight to the enemy. Human rights group Karapatan noted how Gascon stood with them and other human rights defenders in their calls for justice.

Source: Philippine Star October 09, 2021 15:56 UTC