Statement
November 14, 2025

On November 2^nd, the governments of Canada and the Philippines announced the signing of a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA). A Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the two countries is an agreement to have closer military ties, making it easier for the armed forces of the two countries to work together.

Canada becomes the fifth country with a VFA deal with the Philippines. The Philippines’ defense network has expanded considerably in recent years—three of those agreements were signed only in the past two years. Manila is a treaty-ally of the United States, bound by a Mutual Defense Treaty and a VFA. The Philippines has SOVFAs with Australia and New Zealand, and a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with Japan. The agreement has also been signed simultaneously to an announcement of the intention of the Philippines, United States, Australia, and Japan to establish the Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense Cooperation Council.

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) condemns this agreement which is purported to ‘ensure peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific’. It will do the opposite, and further heighten tensions between the USA and China in the South China Sea. 

These military agreements further embolden the fascist Philippine military to violate human rights and international humanitarian law against valiant Filipinos who are defending their national sovereignty and longing for genuine democracy, social justice, and a just peace. These agreements amplify the increasing US militarization of the Asia-Pacific and do nothing to further peace in the region. These agreements are a complete betrayal of human rights and international humanitarian law. Their sole objective is to preserve failing US economic and geo-political dominance in the region and not human rights.

Tensions are high in the South China Sea – West Philippine Sea with both China and the US using the waters around the Philippines as a zone for their ongoing competition for influence in the region. The US and its allies, including Canada, are becoming increasingly provocative in the region, flying patrols 10,000 kms off the North American mainland and carrying out military drills that were clearly orchestrated to goad China. Further, the US has recently announced the planned construction of an ammunition manufacturing and storage hub in Subic Bay to forward-base munitions stockpiles and related materials. The US has also deployed advanced ground-based missile systems to northern Luzon, including the Mid-Range Capability system (capable of firing Tomahawk and SM-6 missiles) and Naval Strike Missile (NSM) launchers targeting the Chinese mainland.

As Canada lines up with New Zealand, Australia and the USA, in the struggle for control of the South China Sea, the prospects for peace diminish and the people of the Philippines find themselves in the dangerous position of being on the front line in the escalating tensions between two superpowers. According to ICHRP Chair Peter Murphy, “The China containment question seems to be the only consideration in the equation – there is no consideration of the risk of being drawn into the Philippines’ internal civil war, where under repeated regimes the Philippine military has a record of war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law.”  

In the interests of peace for the people of the Philippines, ICHRP calls on the government of Canada to uphold an independent foreign policy, to terminate the VFA, and to use its diplomacy and influence to call for a just peace in the Philippines. We further call on people around the globe to rise up in opposition to the growing war mongering of the US and its allies in the Asia-Pacific.

Media statement
November 8, 2025

“The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) welcomes indications from within the Philippine government that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is issuing an arrest warrant for Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, who as Chief of the Philippine National Police supervised former President Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’ from July 1, 2016,” said ICHRP Chairperson Peter Murphy.

“This is welcome news to families of the victims, who have waited far too long for justice,” Murphy said.

The report came from Philippine Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla speaking in a radio interview. But the warrant has not been announced by the ICC itself. However, a warrant against dela Rosa as Duterte’s co-perpetrator of crimes against humanity should emerge, based on evidence presented to the ICC Prosecutor.

A command memo issued by dela Rosa on Duterte’s first day in office immediately kicked off ‘War on Drugs’ operations. The memo provided directives for Project Double Barrel and its component, Project Tokhang, ordering police to conduct house-to-house visitations of ‘suspected drug personalities’. Warrants were not required, and individuals lacked legal recourse to challenge their inclusion on target lists, denying them due process. The visitations quickly became pretexts for summary executions. Dela Rosa’s command memo encouraged officers to “neutralize” drug suspects, a term echoed in police reports to indicate a target has been killed. There was a quota system, with cash rewards to police who executed suspects.

The PNP has admitted to 4,999 deaths in the ‘war on drugs’ during Dela Rosa’s leadership, and credible estimates put the real figure at 30,000 for the whole of Duterte’s six-year term.

“When the warrant is served, ICHRP calls on the Marcos Jr administration to enforce his arrest and surrender to the ICC as part of the Philippines’ continuing obligations to the court,” said Murphy. The ICC recently ruled that it had jurisdiction to prosecute former President Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte, facing a charge of the crime against humanity of murder, had challenged the legality of his detention.

Dela Rosa served as Davao City police chief when Duterte was mayor. Two witness who were members of Duterte’s ‘Davao Death Squad’ have stated that dela Rosa was an “enabler” of Duterte and knew of the squad’s extrajudicial killings.

Notez dans vos agendas la date de la conférence mondiale de l’ICHRP sur la guerre de répression, dissimulée sous une fausse rhétorique de paix, menée par le régime de Marcos avec le soutien des États-Unis, et de la 5e Assemblée générale de l’ICHRP à Barcelone, en Catalogne, du 25 au 27 septembre. 

Le peuple philippin mène une lutte sans relâche pour bâtir une paix juste. Dans la foulée de l’arrestation de l’ancien président Duterte par la CPI – une victoire pour le peuple philippin – le mouvement social de masse aux Philippines continue de s’organiser pour une paix durable fondée sur la justice, sous le régime féroce de Marcos Jr. 

Les ouvriers, les paysans, les peuples autochtones, les jeunes, les étudiants, les femmes, les croyants et les travailleurs font campagne pour une véritable réforme agraire, un processus d’industrialisation et la souveraineté nationale. 

Mais le régime de Marcos Jr répond aux demandes du peuple par une guerre de répression dissimulée sous une fausse rhétorique de paix. Ce programme fallacieux intensifie la terreur d’État dans le cadre du programme de contre-insurrection du Gouvernement philippin et défend les intérêts militaires des États-Unis dans la région, afin de protéger les profits des entreprises étrangères et les bureaucrates nationaux. Il s’attaque même à la solidarité internationale, comme à travers le harcèlement militaire et la surveillance par drone des délégués internationaux de la Mission de solidarité internationale au mois d’octobre dernier.

Organisation fondée en 2013 pour porter l’exigence d’une paix juste et durable, l’ICHRP se joint au peuple philippin pour appeler la communauté internationale à dénoncer le soi-disant programme de paix de Marcos et à prendre position aux côtés du peuple philippin pour réclamer une paix juste. Notez dans vos agenda la date de notre conférence et de notre assemblée générale en 2026.

La Conferència internacional de ICHRP sobre la Guerra de repressió -falsament revestida de ‘pau’- del règim de Marcos recolzat pels Estats Units, i la 5a Assemblea General de ICHRP tindran lloc a Barcelona, Catalunya, del 25 al 27 de setembre. 

El poble filipí està lluitant sense descans per aconseguir una pau justa. Immediatament després de l’arrest de l’ex president Duterte per part de la CPI -una victòria que pertany al poble filipí-, el moviment social a Filipines continua organitzant-se per construir una pau genuïna basada en la justícia, sota el règim feroç de Marcos Jr. 

Treballadors, pagesos, pobles indígenes, joves, estudiants, dones i eclesiàstiques fan campanya per una reforma agrària genuïna, la industrialització i la sobirania nacional. 

Però el règim de Marcos Jr. ha reaccionat a les demandes del poble amb una guerra de repressió disfressada de retòrica de pau. Aquesta falsa agenda de pau està intensificant el terror d’estat sota el programa de contrainsurgencia del govern filipí i defensa els interessos militars estatunidencs a la regió per a protegir els beneficis d’empreses estrangeres i als buròcrates nacionals. Fins i tot, ataca la solidaritat internacional, com va succeir amb l’assetjament militar i la vigilància amb drons dels delegats internacionals de la Missió Internacional de Solidaritat del mes d’octubre passat. 

Organització fundada en 2013 amb la finalitat d’aconseguir una pau justa i duradora a Filipines, ICHRP s’uneix al poble filipí per a demanar a la comunitat internacional que denuncii l’agenda de la falsa pau de Marcos i prengui una posició de solidaritat amb el poble filipí per una pau justa. Apunta’t la data de la nostra conferència i assemblea general en 2026.

La Conferencia internacional de ICHRP sobre la Guerra de represión -falsamente revestida de ‘paz’- del régimen de Marcos respaldado por Estados Unidos, y la 5ª Asamblea General de ICHRP tendrán lugar en Barcelona, Cataluña, del 25 al 27 de septiembre. 

El pueblo filipino está luchando sin descanso por conseguir una paz justa. Inmediatamente después del arresto del ex presidente Duterte por parte de la CPI -una victoria que pertenece al pueblo filipino-, el movimiento social a nivel nacional en Filipinas continúa organizándose por construir una paz genuina basada en la justicia, bajo el régimen feroz de Marcos Jr. 

Trabajadores, campesinos, pueblos indígenas, jóvenes, estudiantes, mujeres y eclesiásticas hacen campaña por una reforma agraria genuina, la industrialización y la soberanía nacional. 

Pero el régimen de Marcos Jr. ha respondido a las demandas del pueblo con una guerra de represión disfrazada de retórica de paz. Esta falsa agenda de paz está intensificando el terror de estado bajo el programa de contrainsurgencia del gobierno filipino y defiende los intereses militares estadounidenses en la región para proteger los beneficios de empresas extranjeras y a los burócratas nacionales. Incluso, ataca la solidaridad internacional, como sucedió con el acoso militar y la vigilancia con drones de los delegados internacionales de la Misión Internacional de Solidaridad del mes de octubre pasado. 

Organización fundada en 2013 con el fin de lograr una paz justa y duradera en Filipinas, ICHRP se une al pueblo filipino para pedir a la comunidad internacional que denuncie la agenda de la falsa paz de Marcos y tome una posición de solidaridad con el pueblo filipino por una paz justa. Apúntate la fecha de nuestra conferencia y asamblea general en 2026.