The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) strongly condemns in the strongest sense possible the senseless acts of physical violence and discrimination against our health workers, the true unsung heroes at the frontlines of our response against the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.

As the country reels from the COVID-19 pandemic, such senseless acts do nothing but endanger the right to life of our health workers who most zealously guard the right to life and health of everyone.

While keeping us healthy and providing much-needed medical care to those who have fallen ill to the virus, health workers are physically assaulted and discriminated.

For instance, last weekend, five unidentified assailants ganged up on a health worker on his way home from a private hospital in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, and threw bleach at his face. Several health workers are also being unlawfully evicted from their residences because they are health workers.

CHR joins the clamour for justice and will investigate these assaults committed against our health workers. We call on everyone to help stop the violence and discrimination. Let us support and defend our health workers.

We should move beyond hailing our frontline heroes online. We must show that we also care and protect them offline.

The duty to protect the right to life requires the State to take special measures of protection to people in situations of vulnerability, such as our health workers, whose lives are placed at particular risk because of specific threats or pre-existing patterns of violence. (General Comment No. 36 of the UN Human Rights Committee) ###