The Philippines’ new chairwoman of the Commission on Human Rights has urged all the country’s religious groups to play a more active role in creating a society that is just and free of abuse.

“If we want to nurture a culture of human rights in the Philippines, the Church must be proactive,” said Loretta Ann Rosales in her acceptance speech on Friday Sept. 3.

“Different Churches can have their own beliefs and idiosyncrasies and we respect them. But we must address and underscore the international human rights instrument and we have to consolidate and speak the same language,” she said.

Among her priorities will be an investigation into the torture of a crime suspect by police officers in Tondo, Manila. The incident, which was captured on video, shown on TV and posted on the internet, provoked public outrage and media condemnation.

“Police brutality will be an immediate concern,” said Rosales, who was herself a victim of military torture and sexual molestation during the Marcos administration. “Tondo is just right under our noses and thanks to modern technology this atrocity has been brought to light.”

Another issue she intends to address is the case of the ‘Morong 43,’  a group of health workers detained on suspicion of being members of the Communist New People’s Army.

She said she has visited the group at Camp Bagong Diwa detention center in Bicutan and the military has been “very cooperative.”

“Police and military atrocities are committed because of government’s failure to enforce the social justice policies mandated by law,” Rosales said.

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