SENATE COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS 

The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights is one of the crucial committees in the Senate because of its broad spectrum of concern. Accordingly, its jurisdiction includes managing or acting on all matters concerning the organization and administration of justice, civil courts, penitentiaries and reformatory schools; probation; impeachment proceedings against constitutional officers and other officers legally removable by impeachment; registration of land titles; immigration and naturalization; the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution on human rights; and all matters pertaining to the efficiency and reforms in the prosecution service. (Rule X, Section 13 (15)).

It is composed of nine (9) members, which includes its chairman presently held by Senator Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero.

The committee has been a constant part of the country's legislative branch of government and has many times played an important part of our nation's history. During the Commonwealth Congress (1935-1946), the latter portion of which was also the period when the First Congress was convened, the committee was known as the Comite de Justicia y Revision de Leyes (Committee on Justice & Revision of Laws), with members composed of historical figures like Domingo Imperial, Mariano J. Cuenco, Pedro C. Hernaez, Nicolas Buendia and Carlos P. Garcia.

At the onset of the Second Congress (1950), the revision of laws function was removed from the committee and it has been known simply as the Comite de Justicia. During the Third Congress, the committee has been called by its English name, the “Committee on Justice” and has remained this way up to the Seventh Congress.

After the Martial Law period, the Eight Congress (1987) was assembled and the “human rights” component has been added to the Committee's jurisdiction. It was then chaired by the renowned Wigberto Tañada, with the late Neptali A. Gonzales as Vice-Chairman.

Presently, the Committee on Justice and Human Rights has heard and considered 236 out of 283 bills and resolutions referred to it. It has already filed 28 committee reports. It is endeavoring to uphold its mandate stated under the 1987 Constitution through the enactment of measures that protect and enhance the right of all the people to human dignity, reduce social, economic, and political inequalities, and remove cultural inequities by equitably diffusing wealth and political power for the common good (Social Justice and Human Rights, Sec. 1, Article 13).