Urgent Alert
September 15, 2024

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) calls for the surfacing of Andy Magno and Vladimir Maro who were abducted by suspected state forces in San Pablo, Isabela in the Cagayan Valley Region on September 11, 2024. 

Magno and Maro are both youth activists turned peasant organizers. Magno is a graduate of the Development Studies program in the University of the Philippines – Manila, a former chairperson of the youth environment organization, Minggan UP Manila, and the former coordinator for Kabataan Partylist – Cagayan Valley. Maro is an advocate for migrant workers’ rights.

ICHRP is alarmed by the recent spate of enforced disappearances under the Marcos Jr. government. In the month of August alone, environmental activist Rowena Dasig was abducted in Quezon Province, while James Jazmines and Felix Salaveria were abducted in Albay Province in separate incidents.

The rise in abductions and other human rights (HR) and international humanitarian law (IHL) violations including red-tagging, enforced disappearances, harassment, intimidation, forced surrenders, and even hamletting, strafing, and aerial bombing in the countryside point to the intensified US-backed counterinsurgency operation of the Philippine government. 

The latest annual joint military exercise dubbed Balikatan (shoulder to shoulder) that ended in May 10, 2024, also took place in Cagayan Valley Region where the recent abduction incident happened. The United States reportedly sent 11,000 American troops and also deployed its Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) guided missiles. The Balikatan exercise also involved Australia and France and several countries joined as observers. France also deployed a warship.

Of the four (4) new military bases of the US in the Philippines, three (3) are located in the Cagayan Valley Region and one (1) of the three (3) is in Isabela province where Magno and Maro were abducted. 

ICHRP calls on the international community to amplify the calls to surface the increasing number of activists abducted in the Philippines, and for the Marcos Jr. government to be held accountable for its continuing HR and IHL violations against the Filipino people.

We also call on  the freedom-loving people of the world to call on your governments to stop supporting the Philippine government to further commit brazen HR and IHL violations against the struggling Filipino people who are exercising their right to self-determination in seeking a just and lasting peace.

Stop Enforced Disappearances! Surface all Desaparecidos!
Uphold Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law!
Support the Filipino People’s Right to Self-Determination!

Further comment: Peter Murphy, ICHRP Chairperson. WhatsApp: +61 418312301. Email: media@ichrp.net.

Urgent Alert
September 13, 2024

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) is alarmed by successive reports of heightened militarization and police presence in peasant communities in the province of Cavite, Southern Tagalog, including the use of US manufactured V150 Tanks. 

Lupang Ramos, Dasmariñas, Cavite

On September 10, around 50 personnel from combined forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), PNP-SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics),  Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and representatives of Dasmariñas local government forcibly entered Lupang Ramos, under the guise of “inspection” for ASF (African Swine Fever) and encircled the community. Lupang Ramos is a 372-hectare farming community of peasants asserting ownership to the land.   

The military also threatened to set up a checkpoint or a military encampment in the peasant community allegedly for a gun ban enforcement in preparation for the upcoming 2025 midterm elections. The overkill deployment of military and police personnel caused widespread fear and apprehension among the residents.

The residents of Lupang Ramos through the leadership of the community peasant organization Kasama-LR (Katipunan ng mga Lehitimong Magsasaka at Mamamayan sa Lupang Ramos or Association of Legitimate Farmers and Citizens in Lupang Ramos) stood up and have set up a barricade (“barikadahan”) to prevent the PNP and AFP to build a checkpoint and/or military encampment in their community.

Lupang Tartaria, Silang, Cavite

On the same day in an adjacent town, peasants of Lupang Tartaria in Silang, Cavite reported heavy military and police presence. Two (2) police vehicles of PNP-SAF (Special Action Force), three (3) V150 armor tanks, and one (1) military truck were sighted near their community. 

The Samahan ng Magsasaka at Mamamayan ng Tartaria (SAMATA, Association of Peasants and Citizens in Tartaria), the organization of peasants in the said community have long been fighting for their rights to livelihood and to their land.

These incidents follow a long pattern of attacks against the communities of Lupang Ramos and Lupang Tartaria. Peasants in both communities have had a long history of struggle for land against big corporations and landowning clans such as the Ramos and the Aguinaldo families who are hellbent on acquiring these lands to pave the way for big businesses and real estate projects. Entire peasant communities continue to suffer from red-tagging, harassment, intimidation, and other human rights and international humanitarian law violations from state forces. 

The attacks against peasant communities coincide with an increase in cases of enforced disappearances under the Marcos Jr. government. Just weeks ago, Rowena Dasig, James Jazmines and Felix Salaveria were all reportedly abducted in separate incidents by suspected state forces. They all remain missing. 

These attacks are in line with the Philippine government’s US-inspired counterinsurgency drive which has committed massive and widespread human rights and international humanitarian law violations. The AFP’s use of V150 tanks, originally engineered for the US during the Vietnam war, serve as an example of the way the Armed Forces of the Philippine relies on and uses US weapons committing human rights and international humanitarian law violations. 

As the Armed Forces of the Philippines continue to use US military aid and US manufactured weapons against poor and marginalized communities in the Philippines, it is critical the international community raise our level of opposition to US-led militarization in the Philippines. ICHRP calls on its chapters, member organizations, and solidarity allies worldwide to conduct mass actions in protest of the increased militarization, attacks against peasant communities, and enforced disappearances in the Philippines.

Defend Southern Tagalog!
Stop Enforced Disappearances!
Uphold Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law!
End US Support for War Crimes in the Philippines!
End Impunity!

Further comment: Peter Murphy, ICHRP Chairperson. WhatsApp: +61 418312301. Email: media@ichrp.net.

Members of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines and allies took part in a global day of action on August 30 to raise awareness about enforced disappearances in the Philippines. Actions took place in multiple countries around the world, and included selfies, vigils, and statements released by ICHRP member organizations, chapters, and allies.

August 30 was the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances, and came just two days prior to the 32nd anniversary of the Hague Joint Declaration and the International Day of Prayer for Just Peace in the Philippines on September 1st. ICHRP’s day of action was held to expose and oppose the counterinsurgency program in the Philippines under Marcos Jr that continues to lead to enforced disappearances, and to call for justice for all victims of forced disappearances in the Philippines.

Urgent Alert
August 29, 2024

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) raises alarm at the reported disappearance of 63-year old James Jazmines, the youngest brother of National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Alan Jazmines.

According to human rights group Karapatan, Jazmines was last seen on August 23, 2024 in Barangay San Lazaro, Tabaco City, in the province of Albay in Bicol Region. Friends and family of Jazmines, including human rights groups, continue to look for him as of the moment. The report comes just a few days after activist and environmentalist Rowena Dasig was reported missing after being released from detention in Quezon province.

Jazmines was a graduate of the premier science high school, the Philippine Science High School in 1978, at the height of Martial Law. He then took up a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. He has been a long time activist and served as editor of the official paper of the League of Filipino Students, Commitment. He   served in different development institutions and organizations including the Kilusang Mayo Uno labor center.

After the collapse of the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the NDFP in 2017, the military engaged in a relentless hunt for all NDFP peace consultants, including James’ brother Alan. Because of this, James and his family have suffered countless instances of surveillance, threats, and red-tagging.

In the program “Laban ng Masa”, which is aired by the notorious and rabid red-tagger broadcast media outfit Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), James’ wife has been red-tagged multiple times in 2023. SMNI is owned by fugitive and indicted human and sex trafficker Apollo Quiboloy, a known supporter and close ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

ICHRP is alarmed by the continuing reports of abductions and enforced disappearances under the Marcos Jr. government. The continuing cases affirm the verdict of the recently held International Peoples Tribunal, which found President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his government, along with other defendants guilty of violations of international humanitarian law (IHL). 

ICHRP calls on the Philippine government to immediately surface James Jazmines and all victims of Enforced Disappearances. We call on the international community to join us in our Global Day of Action on August 30, the International Day of the Disappeared. 

Let us amplify the calls to stop the US-backed counterinsurgency operations in the Philippines and to hold the Marcos Jr. government accountable for its continuing human rights and IHL violations against the Filipino people.

Further comment: Peter Murphy, ICHRP Chairperson. WhatsApp: +61 418312301. Email: media@ichrp.net.