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Dir. Señar |
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A Caramoanon invariably holds a sensitive position in every government office. But with concerns for personal rights and liberties uppermost in the minds due to the resurgence of activism CRANE has chosen to bring to the focus the man who should be on the vortex of the present struggle.
57-year old Pelagio P. Señar, Jr. typifies a hardworking, persevering and talented Caramoanon who has achieved success in his career without so much fanfare. Always calm and composed as was his father, the late Pelagio Señar, Sr., the present Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights here in Bicol has been carrying out his task at the crucial government office at Legazpi City with utmost efficiency and efficacy. As a result, although Bicol has been on the limelight for a series of perceived human rights violations, some involving the media and known militants, his office has received kudos for his prompt solution of most cases brought to his attention.
The dexterity with which Director Señar handles human rights cases is both the result of inherent ability and his constant effort to upgrade his capability by learning from vital trainings here and abroad. Recently, for instance he attended a “Conference to Strengthen Child Justice” conducted by the Commission on Human Rights and the Swedish Ombudsman for Children. Last November he attended the Raoul Wallenberg Institute Training for National Human Rights Institution in the Asia-Pacific in Thailand. Since joining the CHR in 1988 as Senior Legal Officer he has attended a total of 37 such trainings and seminars all geared towards fortifying his knowledge and capability in handling human rights cases.
Señar first worked briefly in the Office of the Governor of Camarines Sur from 1972 to 1974 then taught in high school at the UNC and at the CNSAT in Calabanga, Camarines Sur. In 1987, four years after passing the bar on his first attempt after graduating from the UNC College of Law he was appointed Legal Officer at the then DECS Regional Office in Legazpi City. From there he moved to the CHR as Legal Officer in 1988, then Regional Field Officer in 1989 and in 1995 he became a full-fledged Regional Human Rights Director.
Born in Caramoan on March 27, 1949, he finished his elementary at the Caramoan Central School and his secondary at the United High School, also in the same town. He took up his BSE course at the National Teacher’s College in Manila where he graduated in 1971. He finished law at the UNC in 1982.
