Urgent Alert
December 17, 2024

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) calls for the immediate release of two coconut farmers arrested by the 85th Infantry Battalion (IB) last December 12, 2024 in Barangay Guinhalinan, San Narciso, Quezon in Southern Tagalog Region, after an alleged encounter with the New People’s Army (NPA).

According to human rights group Tanggol Quezon (Defend Quezon), a local member organization of the human rights alliance KARAPATAN, farmer Ronilo Villanueva was harvesting copra (dried coconut meat) when he was shot at by soldiers, wounding his leg. Villanueva and another farmer named Genero were subsequently arrested by 85th IB soldiers, who accused them of being supporters of the NPA. The farmers’ whereabouts remain unknown.

The shooting and arbitrary arrest of the two civilian farmers violates their rights embodied in the Bill of Rights of the Philippine Constitution, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Geneva Conventions on the protection of civilians, as well the provisions of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

ICHRP also deplores the presence of military trucks (6×6) and the military encampment in Brgy Guinhalinan. The principles of International Humanitarian Law prohibits military encampment among a civilian population. 

These incidents also add to the 85th IB’s long list of human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL) violations against the people of Quezon. Notable cases include the illegal search, destruction of properties, planting of evidence, and arrest of farmer Roberto Mendoza; filing of trumped-up cases of financing terrorism and the use of Anti-Terror Act against Yulesita Ibañez, Lieshel Mendoza and Liezel Merchales and their paralegals Paul Tagle and Fritz Labiano; as well as the illegal arrest of Rowena Dasig and Miguela Peniero.

The local government in Quezon and the NTF-ELCAC have declared the province “insurgency free” several times. These bogus declarations serve to distract from the worsening conditions of farmers in the province. It also directly contradicts the AFP’s claims of alleged “encounters” with the NPA in Quezon. 

Coconut farmers and farm workers in Quezon continue to suffer from low wages, declining coconut prices, landlessness, and militarization. Instead of addressing the economic woes and demands of the people, the Marcos government continues to wreak havoc through its US-inspired counterinsurgency program, which aims to quell any form of dissent or protest from the people. 

ICHRP fully supports the fact-finding mission led by Tanggol Quezon to investigate human rights and IHL violations by the 85th IB. It calls for the immediate release of the two civilian farmers arrested as well as ensuring their safety. It reverberates the demand of the people for military pull out in their respective communities and respect the principles of IHL. ICHRP calls on the international community to hold Marcos Jr. accountable for his government’s continuing attacks against the Filipino people.

Urgent alert
December 13, 2024

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) calls for the immediate release of Tomas Dominado, 74, an elderly political detainee who requires immediate medical attention.

Dominado was arrested on December 5 in Sooc, Arevalo, Iloilo City, on trumped-up charges of murder and rebellion. His fabricated charges stem from warrants that were issued over a decade ago, and for which several co-accused individuals have already been acquitted by the court.

Dominado survived a recent stroke, and has a history of hypertension, heart enlargement, neurological deficits, and other severe medical issues which require essential medical treatment. He is bedridden and requires an aide for mobility. Since Dominado’s arrest, his health has deteriorated, and he has been denied proper care by authorities despite his worsening condition.

The charges against Dominado follow the usual pattern of the Philippine state to baselessly conflate activists with armed rebels. Dominado is a long-time advocate and organizer for people’s rights in Panay. The labelling of him and others as a “terrorist” in 2021, and the treatment of him as an armed combatant, is a violation of International Humanitarian Law.

ICHRP calls on the Marcos Jr government to release Dominado and all other political prisoners, as well as end the rampant violations of human rights and International Humanitarian Law that plague the Filipino people.

New PH inter-agency committee on IHL led by perpetrators, rights abusers

Press statement
December 10, 2024

On International Human Rights Day, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) assailed Executive Order (EO) 77, calling it a superficial response to the Marcos Jr administration’s worsening human rights record. The EO, which establishes an inter-agency committee on International Humanitarian Law (IHL), was criticized as an attempt to mask the government’s failure to address the root causes of widespread abuses.

“EO 77 is performative—a desperate attempt to save face before the international community,” said Peter Murphy, Chairperson of ICHRP. “While the Marcos Jr administration parades this executive order as progress, it continues to enforce policies that blatantly violate basic freedoms and international humanitarian standards.”

Among these repressive policies are the continuation of the violent drug war and counterinsurgency programs, which have resulted in significant human rights violations.

Data from the University of the Philippines revealed that more than 800 drug-related killings have occurred since the beginning of Marcos Jr’s term. Similarly, according to local rights group Karapatan, the counterinsurgency program of the Marcos administration has resulted in a staggering number of human rights and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) violations since he came to power. These include 119 extrajudicial killings, 76 attempted extrajudicial killings, and 14 enforced disappearances. Furthermore, 43,582 individuals have been forced to evacuate their homes, while 63,380 have been victims of indiscriminate gunfire, and 46,921 have been affected by bombings—all of which are linked to the government’s intensified counterinsurgency efforts.

The most recent of the 119 political killings under the US-backed counterinsurgency program is the murder of Jerick Jugal, a civilian and sole breadwinner for his family in Catubig, Northern Samar, Central Philippines. On November 5, 2024, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) falsely claimed Jugal was a rebel killed in an encounter. Witnesses, however, confirmed there was no clash, calling it a targeted killing and a war crime, emblematic of the systemic abuses under the Marcos government.

ICHRP strongly condemns the arrest of 74-year-old activist Tomas Dominado, a martial law survivor detained just days before Human Rights Day on false charges of murder and rebellion. Despite being bedridden from a massive stroke and in need of constant care, Dominado is imprisoned alongside his caregiver, who faces additional charges under the Anti-Terror Law. His case highlights the troubling reality of political prisoners under the Marcos administration, where 757 individuals, including 97 sick and 103 elderly detainees, remain unjustly incarcerated.

IHL inter-agency committee led by enablers, perpetrators

ICHRP noted with alarm that EO 77 tasks the very agencies implicated in the violations with leading the inter-agency committee on IHL. The Department of National Defense (DND) will co-chair the committee, which will also include notorious enforcement agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine National Police.

“This raises serious concerns about the credibility and sincerity of the initiative. Through their involvement in counterinsurgency operations and the facilitation of militarized policies, these agencies are widely seen as enablers and perpetrators of the same violations they now claim to address,” Murphy claims.

ICHRP highlighted how these policies perpetuate a climate of fear and repression, particularly through mechanisms such as the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). The task force, widely criticized for red-tagging and harassment of activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, blurs the distinction between civilians and combatants—an egregious violation of IHL. UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan has also raised alarm over these practices, emphasizing their devastating impact on freedom of expression and democratic space in the country.

“The EO 77 fails to address the systemic injustices and lack of accountability that fuel these abuses. Instead of putting an end to the killings and IHL violations, the administration offers only token gestures to deflect international scrutiny,” says Murphy.

This 76th International Human Rights Day, ICHRP calls on the government to immediately end its lethal policies and hold perpetrators accountable. It also reaffirms its solidarity with the Filipino people in their struggle for justice and genuine freedom, urging both local and international communities to intensify efforts to hold the US-backed Marcos administration accountable.

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Donate to typhoon relief efforts: ichrp.net/ReliefPH

In just the past 10 days, the Philippines has faced an unprecedented disaster: four successive typhoons, including super typhoons Pepito (Man-yi) and Nika (Toraji), have ravaged the country with massive losses for farmers and the agricultural sector. These storms, exacerbated by the climate crisis and government negligence, have left millions of Filipinos displaced, and their homes, farms, and livelihoods in ruins.

The most impacted areas from typhoon damage include:  

The Bicol region (at the southern tip of Luzon) has seen over 1 million individuals across 1,441 barangays affected. Flooding has submerged 870 hectares of rice fields and destroyed roads, homes, and livelihoods. Entire communities in Albay, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon are grappling with nearly total crop loss, while farmers face mounting debts and food insecurity.

Catanduanes (an island in the Bicol region) suffered catastrophic damage from Super Typhoon Pepito. Tens of thousands were displaced, with abaca production—the backbone of the island’s economy— severely damaged. Farmers face years of recovery due to abaca’s long cultivation cycle​

In Cagayan Valley (in the northeastern section of Luzon), severe flooding caused by Typhoon Nika has displaced over 1,600 families. The Magat Dam’s water releases and Cagayan River’s overflow have inundated 35 villages. Residents are now bracing for Typhoon Ofel, which threatens to worsen the already dire conditions​.

Environmental degradation resulting from quarrying around Mount Mayon and political inaction have intensified flooding and lahar risks in the province. At the same time, unchecked land degradation in Catanduanes and improper dam water management in Cagayan have left these regions more vulnerable to storm impacts​.

Storm impacts also amplify existing socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Farmers, fisherfolk, and low-income communities bear the brunt of the disaster. They face widespread poverty, limited government assistance, and systemic neglect, leaving them in a constant cycle of debt and displacement​.

The disaster has left communities in desperate need of:

• Basic relief: food, clean water, shelter, hygiene kits, and medical supplies.
• Livelihood support: seeds, farming tools, and financial aid to help farmers and fisherfolk recover their incomes.
• Infrastructure repair: flood-damaged homes and public structures require urgent rehabilitation​.

The ICHRP donation drive will support affected communities. Your contribution can help deliver lifesaving relief and rebuild the hope and livelihoods of Filipinos.

Donate now to provide:

• Emergency supplies for displaced families.
• Farming tools and materials for rural livelihoods.
• Advocacy support to hold accountable the Marcos Jr. government for the neglect and continued exploitation of these communities.

Donate to typhoon relief efforts: ichrp.net/ReliefPH

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#GlobalSolidarity
#ClimateJusticeNow
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