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Manila: The Philippines became the 8th of the 10-member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to ratify the Asean Charter, which seeks to get regional leaders to maintain good human rights records.
Authorities expressed hope that the ratification of the Asean Charter could pressurise military authorities in Myanmar to release democracy-leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The charter calls for the establishment of a regional Human Rights Commission.
Philippines Senator Mirrian Santiago said: "The Asean will ratify its constitution even ahead of the European Union, whose charter was rejected by two countries."
Indonesia and Thailand are also expected to ratify the charter, said Santiago. If all 10 member-states ratify the regional charter by December, its provisions will be enforced among member countries in 2009, he added.
With the creation of the Human Rights Commission, Asean can police member state, said Santiago, adding, "Asean will soon stop depending on foreign human rights monitors that have been criticising some Asean member countries with bad human rights records."
The Philippines proposed the creation of the Asean Charter in the 1970s.
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