Ms. Agnes Callamard, UN Special Rapporteur, has issued a statement rejecting the Spokesperson’s claim that the Philippine Government had not been informed in advance of her trip here to take part in a conference, and that such was not an official visit.

She conveniently failed to disclose that when the UNHCHR office in Geneva informed the Philippine Mission there, the Mission asked her to reconsider the trip since Philippine officials would be in Geneva at the same time for the Universal Periodic Review, and were expecting to see her, that being the appropriate venue to meet.

Her delayed reply came on the day she left for the Philippines. This was neither timely nor proper courtesy accorded to a sovereign nation. We stand by our statement.