1

Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

“Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which

have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall

enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the

highest aspiration of the common people”(Preamble of Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that all human beings have. Universal

Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in

December 10, 1948 composing of 30 articles. Different kinds of human rights are mostly

ingrained in the 1987 Constitution, and laws such as R.A. 7438, R.A. 9262, and R.A. 9344. The

Philippines is also obliged to abide in the provisions of various international human rights

treaties, conventions, and protocols. (PNP Guidebook on human rights based-policing2013ed.)

Instances of shocking Human rights abused globally are: Unsafe labor conditions in

Bangladesh led to world’s worst garment industry tragedy as thousands died in horrific building

collapse; Egypt’s epidemic of violence and sexual abuse resulted in more than 600 deaths and 91

women assaulted in four days of riots at Tahrir Square; Burma committed ethnic cleansing

against thousands of Rohingya Muslims; (Gummow, 2013)

There are so many examples of various countries, corporations and institutions violating

human rights. Some are contributing to suppressing rights in other countries. Others are ignoring
 2

the plight of people in other countries whose rights are denied due to their own economic and

political interests in those other countries. (Shah, 2010)

Human Rights problems in the Philippines were continued to be extrajudicial killings

and enforced disappearances undertaken by security forces; a dysfunctional criminal justice

system notable for poor cooperation between police and investigators, few prosecutions, and

lengthy procedural delays; and widespread official corruption and abuse of power. Others were

allegations of prisoner/detainee torture and abuse by security forces; violence and harassment

against human rights activists by local security forces; disappearances; warrantless arrests;

lengthy pretrial detentions; overcrowded and inadequate prison conditions; killings and

harassment of journalists; internally displaced persons (IDPs); violence against women; abuse

and sexual exploitation of children; trafficking in persons; limited access to facilities for persons

with disabilities; lack of full integration of indigenous people; absence of law and policy to

protect persons from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; suspected

vigilante killings; child labor; and ineffective enforcement of worker rights. ( Country Reports on

Human Rights Practices for 2013 & 2013 from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and

Labor under United States, World Report 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010 from Human Rights Watch,

the Hong-Kong Mission for Human Rights & Peace in the Philippines)

From the years 2008-2013 there were 273 total number of cases filed in the Provincial

Human Rights Action Center of Nueva Vizcaya . In the year 2010, a total number of 98 cases

followed by year 2011 with 79 cases, year 2009 with 57 cases, 19 total number of cases in 2008,

2 cases in 2012 and only 1 in 2013. Cases on professional negligence, abuse of authority, unfair

labor practice, illegal detention, violence against women and children, and others were present in
 3

Nueva Vizcaya province. The six highest numbered human rights problems were illegal

recruitment being the first with 49 cases, followed by abuse of authority, next unfair labor

practice and family related problems, then conflicts on land title/tenancy, and lastly physical

injuries.

The major purpose of this study is to attest the level of awareness of Criminology

students regarding the most significant human rights problem in the Philippines and in still

awareness thereof.

Statement of the Problem

Specifically, this study aimed to answer the following questions.

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

a. Age c. Year level, and

b. B. Sex d. Ethnicity

2. What is the level of awareness of the respondents in terms of the following:

a. To the Human Rights problems in the Philippines?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the Criminology students’ awareness on human

rights issues and their demographics?

Hyphothesis:

There is no significant relationship between the Criminology student’s awareness on

significant human rights issues in the Philippines and their demographics.

 4

Conceptual Framework

The Conceptual Paradigm illustrated on the first box which is the independent variable, is

composed of the respondent’s demographics in terms of age, sex, year level and ethnicity. The

second box contains the dependent variable consists of the level of awareness of Criminology

students towards Human Rights problem specifically the human rights problems in the

Philippines.

Conceptual Paradigm

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

1. EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS BY THE PNP

Results of OFFICERS IN THE PHILIPPINES
the 2. LENGTHY PROCEDURAL DELAY / DELAY
Survey OF JUSTICE.
3. TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN,
OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR
YEAR
PUNISHMENT.
LEVEL 4. WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION IN THE
PHILIPPINES.
AGE 5. OVERCROWDED AND INADEQUATE
PRISON CONDITIONS.
6. UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES
SEX ETHNICIT 7. ABUSE OF AUTHORITY BY PUBLIC
Y OFFICIALS.
8. ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT.
9. FAMILY RELATION PROBLEMS.
(Abandonment/Child Support/
Concubinage/Adultery/Bigamy)
10. DISPUTE IN LAND TITILE/TENANCY.

FIG.1 Conceptual
Paradigm
 5

Significance of the Study

This study will serve as an effective and reliable instrument in assessing the level of

awareness of the respondents particularly on how to resolve Human rights problems as a poison

in the good mutual connection among human beings and as the main deteriorating factor in

democracy in the Philippines. The researchers depend on the areas to be evaluated and to the

feedback of the respondents as well as the other secondary resources. Through this study, the

awareness on human rights problems will be determined.

If this study is properly undertaken, the result will be beneficial to the following:

To the Criminology Students:

As direct respondents of this study, they will be informed on the human rights problems

in our country. Thus, awareness on the human rights problems serve as a topic of study and

discussion. As future Criminologist, human rights problem will be subject of study about the

causation, and effects of it.

To the College of Criminal Justice Education Instructors:

To give them insights and may include on their class discussion the significant human

rights problems.

To the Community:

Through this study, insight could be shared to enlighten them, that they can be aware of

the human rights problems to identify the cause and its’ effects on our country and to able to

suppress them.

To Future Researchers:

This study will serve as their future basis and references in making more researches

concerning Human Rights and that they too can validate the contents of this research.
 6

Scope and Delimitation

This study will be conducted in the school year 2014-2015 at PLT College, Inc. located at

Zulueta St. Brgy. Don Domingo Maddela, Bayombong Nueva Vizcaya. The respondents are 1st

year, 2nd year, 3rd year and 4th year Criminology students of the said school who are enrolled in

the same school year.

Definition of Terms

Awareness – awareness on the Human Rights Problems in the Philippines.

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor under United States - leads the U.S. efforts

to promote democracy, protect human rights and international religious freedom, and advance

labor rights globally.

Country Report – are reports conducted by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor

under United States.

PLT Criminology Students – refers to those respondents who enrolled Bachelor in Science in

Criminology at PLT College Inc. for the school year 2014-2015.

Hong-Kong Mission - The fact-finding mission, which was held on 23 to 28 July 2006

conducted by members of Hong Kong's civil society. The mission was organized in order to add

to efforts already being made by the growing global campaign to stop the extrajudicial killings in

the Philippines.

Human Rights - basic rights and freedoms that all human beings have. Defined in international

laws, treaties and convention, also in some part of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, and laws

such as R.A. 7438, R.A. 9262, and R.A. 9344.

 7

Human Rights Problems - prevalent human rights violation which are: extrajudicial killings

and enforced disappearances undertaken by security forces; a dysfunctional criminal justice

system notable for poor cooperation between police and investigators, few prosecutions, and

lengthy procedural delays; and widespread official corruption and abuse of power. Others were

allegations of prisoner/detainee torture and abuse by security forces; violence and harassment

against human rights activists by local security forces; disappearances; warrantless arrests;

lengthy pretrial detentions; overcrowded and inadequate prison conditions; killings and

harassment of journalists; internally displaced persons (IDPs); violence against women; abuse

and sexual exploitation of children; trafficking in persons; limited access to facilities for persons

with disabilities; lack of full integration of indigenous people; absence of law and policy to

protect persons from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; suspected

vigilante killings; child labor; and ineffective enforcement of worker rights. ( Country Reports on

Human Rights Practices for 2013 & 2013 from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and

Labor under United States, World Report 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010 from Human Rights Watch,

the Hong-Kong Mission for Human Rights & Peace in the Philippines)

Human Rights Watch - Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental

organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights.

World Report – report conducted by Human Rights Watch after an extensive research on the

violation of Human Rights in the Philippines.

 Chapter II

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

Descriptive method of research will be to determine the level of awareness Criminology

students regarding human rights problems in the Philippines.

The study will focus on the demographics of the respondents, level of their awareness on

the human rights problems in the Philippines.

Research Locale/Setting

The study will be conducted at PLT College Inc., located at no.33 Zulueta St., Brgy. Don

Domingo Maddela, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.

Sample and Sampling Technique

There is a total population of 631 Criminology students enrolled at PLT College Inc. for

the school year 2014-2015. 300 respondents were chosen by random sampling technique using

the Slovin’s formula.

The following table shows the distribution of the population and sample.
Year Level Random Sample Percentage(%)
1st Year 99 33.1%
2nd Year 80 26.8%
3rd Year 58 19.2%
4th Year 63 20.9%
Total 300 100%
Research Instrument

This study will use questionnaire - checklist that is to be critiqued by the research adviser

before floating

The survey questionnaire consisted of the following parts:

Part 1 consist the demographics profile of the respondents.

Part 2 deals with data on the students’ level of awareness on the human rights problems

in the Philippines. The questionnaire covers the different human rights problems in the

Philippines.

Data Gathering Procedure

The data will be derived from the survey questionnaires which will be distributed to the

respondents. The data would be collated and tabulated.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The data will be derived from the survey questionnaires which will be distributed to the

respondents. The data would be collated and tabulated

To describe the respondent’s demographics, frequency & percent will be used.

To come up with the evaluation of the level of awareness of the Human rights problems

in the Philippines means scores will be computed and interpreted based on the table below;

RATING RANGES OF MEANS Qualitative Description

 Awareness

4 3.50- 4.00 Very Much

3 2.50 – 3.49 Much

2 1.50 – 2.49 Little

1 1.00 – 1.49 Very Little

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) will be used to analyse the differences between group

means and their associated procedure ( such as “variation” among and between group)

developed by R. A. Fisher. In the ANOVA setting, the observed variance in a particular variable

is partitioned into components attributable to different sources of variation. In its simplest form,

ANOVA provides a statistical test of whether or not the means of reversal groups are equal, and

therefore generalizes the t-test to more than 2 groups. Doing multiple two-sample t-test would

result in an increased chance of committing a type I error. For this reason, they are useful in

comparing (testing) 30 or more means (group or variables) for statistical significance t-test

method will also be used wherein it is a statistical test for small sample of observation that comes

from a larger sample with a standard distribution of statistical properties.