Urgent Alert
March 14, 2026

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) expresses its concern about the arrest of 10 individuals on trumped-up charges, and calls for the surfacing of two individuals who remain missing, after recent joint Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) operations.

According to local human rights group Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA), 12 individuals were arrested through separate operations conducted by the AFP and PNP in Quezon City and in Tarlac City, Central Luzon on March 11, 2026. The 5th Infantry Division of the AFP claims that the arrested individuals were members of the “Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee”. CHRA said that all arrested individuals are unarmed and non-combatants.

National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Kennedy Bangibang was among the seven individuals arrested in Tarlac City. Bangibang and his companions were reportedly subjected to verbal and physical abuse from their arresting officers. It was also reported that two of them were arrested without warrants and have remained in illegal custody for more than 48 hours. All of them face fabricated and non-bailable charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

As an NDFP Consultant, Bangibang should have been accorded protection through the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), signed by the NDFP and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) in 1995. His arrest blatantly violates this agreement. ICHRP reminds Philippine authorities that they are bound to uphold and respect Bangibang’s rights. He has since been transferred and detained in Tabuk City, Kalinga, in the Cordillera region.

Meanwhile, Jess Gamay and his companion remain missing despite being allegedly released by the PNP in Camp Karingal, Quezon City last March 11. The two were among the three individuals arrested in a joint PNP-AFP operation in the same city. Authorities claim they are not holding them in custody, but their families and legal team said that they have not contacted them nor have come home since the incident. 

ICHRP calls for the immediate release of the 10 individuals arrested and the surfacing of Jess Gamay and his companion. We call on the Philippine authorities to respect and uphold the rights of all 12 individuals. International humanitarian law (IHL) must also be upheld and observed, and they must be accorded due process and given proper access to their legal counsel and families.

Save the Date for ICHRP’s Global Conference on the US Backed Marcos Regime’s War of Suppression Disguised as Peace and 5th General Assembly in Toronto, Canada Sept 25-27th. 

The Filipino people are in the middle of a great struggle for a just peace. On the heels of the ICC arrest of former President Duterte – a victory belonging to the Filipino people – the nationwide mass movement in the Philippines continues to organize for a genuine peace based on justice under the rabid Marcos Jr regime. 

Workers, peasants, Indigenous People, youth, students, women, church people, and professionals campaign for genuine land reform, national industrialization, and national sovereignty. 

But the Marcos Jr regime has responded to the people’s demands with a war of suppression and disguised in peace rhetoric. This fake peace agenda is escalating fascist state terror under the GRP’s counter-insurgency program and upholds US military interests in the region in order to protect foreign profit and domestic bureaucrats. It even seeks to attack solidarity efforts, as we witnessed in the military harassment and drone surveillance of international delegates of the October 2025 International Solidarity Mission. 

As an organization founded in 2013 to campaign for just and lasting peace, ICHRP joins with the Filipino people to call on the international community to expose Marcos’ Fake Peace agenda and take a stand with the Filipino people for a just peace. Save the date for our conference and general assembly in 2026.

MIS À JOUR DE L’EMPLACEMENT! Conférence mondiale & 5e Assemblée générale de l’ICHRP

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 Toronto, Canada, 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.

Attack demonstrates vulnerability of Philippines to attack in a war in which it has no part

“The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) calls on the Marcos Jr government to pull out all stops to assist Filipino migrant workers stranded and endangered in the Gulf states, Lebanon and Israel,” said ICHRP Chairperson Peter Murphy today.

“We know that one Filipino worker has been killed by missile fire in Israel, and that there are initially 1,033 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) stranded because of the shutdown of air space over the region. But these numbers will grow every day while this war rages,” said Murphy. “With almost 2.5 million OFWs in the war zone, there will be an immediate emotional and financial impact on Philippine society.

“The Marcos Jr administration should not rely on Trump statements that this war will be over soon. Instead, it should listen to the workers involved, and their families, and use charter flights or military aircraft to rescue Filipinos who need to get out of danger. For those who cannot leave but who may run out of money in this crisis due to work stopping, we call on the administration to provide sustenance,” said Murphy. “The basic human rights to life, to food, shelter and health care must be honoured.”

The war has disrupted oil and gas shipments out of the Persian Gulf, which mainly go to India, China and the Asia-Pacific region. The price of fuel in the Philippines has already increased by 2 pesos and is speculated by oil monopolies to rise further by another 16 pesos per liter for diesel and 7.7 pesos for gasoline in the coming days. .This will really hurt the great majority of the people who struggle with grinding poverty. If oil and gas supplies are disrupted for more than two weeks, there will be a broader global economic and financial crisis which will really impact the Filipino people immensely.

At a deeper level, the new war in West Asia exposes the place of the Philippines in the US war machine, because the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was deployed to the war zone from the Philippines, where it had been refueled and replenished. In retaliation to the illegal bombardment launched on February 28, the Iranian regime has hit many targets related to the US and Israeli military within range of its missiles and drones. While no Iranian missiles can reach the Philippines, other asymmetric warfare could be launched against targets in the Philippines by Iranian agents. But the Marcos Jr administration had no role in Trump’s decision to go to war.

In the event that the US goes to war against China – they are preparing to do this in 2027 – all its many military bases in the Philippines will be targets, as has happened with Iran targeting them in the Persian Gulf region. This obvious danger needs to be addressed urgently, to enable the Filipino people to exercise their basic human rights to life, peace and genuine development.

In the last three months, Trump has ordered airstrikes in Somalia, Nigeria, Venezuela and now Iran, he has kidnaped the President of Venezuela, and, along with assassination of the Supreme Leader and other senior leaders of Iran by Israel. He has repeatedly threatened to seize Greenland, and to absorb Canada and Mexico. He supports Netanyahu’s ambition for a ‘Greater Israel’. Despite his rhetoric about ending wars and building peace, Trump does whatever he likes, breaking international law at will, to assert “America First”. This clear pattern of aggression bodes ill for the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific region.

“ICHRP urges the Marcos Jr administration to extract itself from the US strategy for war with China, and hear the calls of Filipinos for an independent foreign policy. Instead, it should  pursue the unfinished peace agenda first set out in the Hague Joint Declaration of 1992 for social and economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms that would not allow any foreign intervention and control,” said Murphy.

“However, we know that this will not happen unless the Filipino people can create the political conditions for any Manila administration to seriously take the path of peace. We strongly support the broad people’s efforts to confront the massive corruption scandal, to impeach political leaders who brazenly plunder and sell out to foreign powers, and the pursuit of accountability for state murders at the International Criminal Court,” said Murphy.

“ICHRP urges the whole international community to wake up to the danger exposed in the attack on Iran, and to stand together to uphold international law and the vital human rights of all peoples, including those in Palestine, Iran, and the Philippines,” Murphy concluded.

Press Statement
March 3, 2026

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I wrapped up its confirmation of charges hearing on February 27, 2026, in the case of the alleged crime against humanity of murder by former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

“The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) hails the hearings for setting out overwhelming evidence for Duterte to now be taken to a full trial,” said ICHRPs chairperson, Peter Murphy.

The purpose of the confirmation of charges procedure is to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Rodrigo Duterte committed the crimes he is accused of. If the charges are confirmed, totally or partly, the case will be transferred to a Trial Chamber, which will conduct the next phase of the proceedings: the trial. The Pre-Trial Chamber, made up of three judges, will issue its decision on the confirmation of charges within 60 days after the confirmation hearing.

While the charge against Duterte covers only a fraction of the victims of his wars on the poor and political dissent, the evidence that was presented is overwhelming for his case to proceed to trial. The ICC is the primary forum for justice for the thousands of victims who have been seeking accountability from Duterte. These include the many National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultants and countless other victims of extrajudicial killings during his years of terror as mayor of Davao and then President of the Philippines.

Duterte is charged with the crime against humanity of murder, committed between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019, in the context of the ‘war on drugs’ campaign. Duterte’s ‘war on drugs,’ which empowered police to kill lists of poor people with impunity, was fully extended to the military to include activists, human rights defenders, unionists, indigenous people in a war on dissent. Hence, victims of Duterte in the Philippine are innumerable.

The jurisdiction of the ICC does not include many victims murdered between March 17, 2019, and the end of his presidency on June 30, 2022, or those killed subsequently under the orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as Duterte had withdrawn the Philippines from ICC jurisdiction in March 2018, with effect one year later.

Current President Marcos Jr. has perfected Duterte’s mechanisms of state violence including the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), the counterinsurgency program (COIN) and its resulting red tagging. Ongoing disappearances and killings of activists all over the country chill political activity. Like Duterte, Marcos is equally deserving of accountability for violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and crimes against humanity.

”It is important to respect the ICC process. Duterte has been charged with the extremely serious crime against humanity of murder and the facts must be heard and judged in accordance with the rules of evidence,” said Murphy.

“The families of Duterte’s many thousands of victims of continue to await justice. We continue to urge the ICC to ensure that justice is seen to be done. The judicial action against Duterte is a testament to the victims’ families’ sustained bravery and advocacy to stand up against the system in the Philippines which is full of impunity.

“We remind the court that Duterte did not act alone. His arrest and trial is simply the tip of the iceberg. There is great urgency to also hold accountable all those who were complicit in his crimes, including former cabinet members, police chiefs, and senior government officials,” said Murphy.

In July 2025, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor submitted their Document Containing Charges to the Pre-Trial Chamber I and in it they identified Senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, and other persons as Duterte’s alleged co-perpetrators in the alleged commission of crimes against humanity in connection with the drug war. These extra names were redacted until February 13, 2026.

“ICHRP reiterates its call for the ICC to issue arrest warrants for those named: Bato Dela Rosa, Bong Go, Vicente Danao; Oscar Albayalde; Dante Gierran; Isidro Lapeña; and Vitaliano Aguirre II, so that they can also face trial, along with their co-accused Duterte,” said Murphy. “It remains abundantly clear that domestic measures have failed and the Philippine judicial system is unable to prosecute these other alleged perpetrators.”

ICHRP is committed to long-term international efforts to bring alleged criminals like Duterte and Marcos Jr to justice, and to support the grassroots movements in the Philippines leading this struggle. “We are committed to supporting human rights and respect for international humanitarian law in the Philippines. Filipinos have the right to organize and resist the devastating impacts of neo-liberalism and neocolonialism, de facto martial law and the resulting widespread grinding poverty,” Murphy concluded.

Duterte will remain in detention at the ICC while awaiting the decision on his case proceeding to trial.

Statement
February 25, 2026

Feb 25th, 2026, marks the 40th anniversary of the people power uprising which ousted Ferdinand Marcos Sr. This anniversary stands as an important and historic reminder of the Filipino people’s assertion of their democratic rights and right to self-determination. 

Despite what this day represents, the Philippine National Police (PNP) deployed 13,000 police officers during the action and declared an “EDSA no rally zone” in an attempt to prevent the massive rally critical of the Marcos Jr. regime. Further, the PNP even made veiled threats at those who carry signs that could be viewed as “seditious.” 

“It is outrageous that on the 40th anniversary of the EDSA uprising, the Philippine government is attempting to squash the right of the Filipino people to assembly and freedom of expression,” said ICHRP Vice-Chairperson, Rev Dr. Patricia Lisson. 

Still, the Filipino people persisted to defy unlawful attempts to shut down their rights, and successfully went ahead with their EDSA mobilization and mobilized thousands. ICHRP applauds the courageous and just protest led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan at the EDSA shrine. 

“ICHRP supports and insists on the right of the people to freely protest without intimidation or harassment. This is true especially in light of the people’s ongoing call for genuine accountability amid massive corruption and the deepening crisis of poverty,” Lisson continued.

Indeed, despite the massive protests against corruption beginning last September, Marcos Jr has evaded accountability by diverting investigations, covering up his direct and indirect involvement in the release of pork barrel funds and the delivery of kickbacks, and directing his allies in Congress to dismiss the impeachment complaint against him. Still, the clamor of the people for genuine accountability for high-level officials, including Sara Duterte and Marcos Jr himself, remains.

The Philippine government’s attempt to crack down on the right to assemble and freely express opinion is part of their escalating campaign to squash resistance since the September 21st historic protests. At this time, it is critical for international solidarity, and for the international community to increase support for the Filipino people’s right to assemble, assert their democratic rights, and to resist.