MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis Escudero Monday pushed for the passage of the bill that seeks to grant the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) prosecutorial powers.

Escudero, Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights chair, sponsored Committee Report No. 37, which seeks to amend the CHR’s current charter and equip the human rights body with prosecutorial powers similar to the function of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The senator said that under the present mandate, the CHR is neither a judicial nor a quasi-judicial body.

“It’s jurisdiction is limited only to civil and political rights. We want to equip it with significant power to include economic, social, and cultural rights,” Escudero said.

Currently, he said the CHR is restricted by the Constitution to preventive measures only such as initiating applications in court for judicial writs and orders, conduct investigation and receive evidence of violations of human rights among others.

With the passage of the Senate Bill No. 1437, the Commission would be empowered to carry out more effective and authoritative decisions if its jurisdiction includes quasi-judicial power.

“The mandate of the CHR is vital in ensuring that it enacts the state policy to secure, protect and guarantee the dignity of its citizens and to ensure the fulfillment of such citizens’ human rights,” Escudero said.

The same bill also grants CHR visitorial powers to all detention cells all over the country to monitor the state of the facilities and detainees.

Aside from this, the measure also mandates law enforcement agencies to report to the CHR any arrests it made within 48 hours.

Presently, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) can keep under their custody any persons they arrest in an undetermined number of days.

Escudero had earlier branded the CHR has a “toothless tiger” because its powers are limited to making recommendations on human rights cases.