ICHRP urged PH gov’t to uphold UN covenant on press freedom
The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) today called on the National Telecommunications Commission to lift its Cease and Desist Order of May 5, which closed down the Philippines’ biggest broadcaster at 8pm that night.
“It is clear from the very broad protests at the closure of ABS-CBN that this decision has no support outside President Duterte’s inner circle. The NTC can fix this now by acting on its statement to Congress to provide a temporary extension of the network’s franchise while Congress debated the Bills to renew the 25-year franchise,” said Peter Murphy, ICHRP Chairperson.
The country’s lawmakers last Wednesday stopped the deliberations for a proposed 5-month temporary permit for ABS-CBN and instead, chose to hear legislative bills seeking to give it a 25-year franchise. Still, the biggest television network remains shut after Philippine Supreme Court stalled on deciding on a petition to allow an immediate resume of operations.
“The NTC and the Duterte government should uphold the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Philippines is a signatory,” said Murphy.
Article 19 2 of the Covenant says: Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.
“This basic right to freedom of the media in the case of ABS-CBN has been erased by pressure from the President, who only last November stated ‘If you are expecting [a renewal], I’m sorry. You’re out. I will see to it that you’re out’. Many times since his inauguration the President has demonised journalists as ‘spies’ and ‘sons of bitches’,” said Murphy
Solicitor-General Jose Calida gave the signal to Congress to avoid renewing the ABS-CBN franchise when he asked the Supreme Court in February 2020 to shut down the company on the absurd allegation that it abused its franchises and violated a constitutional prohibition on foreign investment in Philippine media.
“This is arbitrary government, smacking of dictatorship, and underlines the extreme situation of lawlessness and impunity which the Filipino people suffer today,” said Murphy.
“We at ICHRP want to amplify the demands from the Movement against Tyranny, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, the Foreign Correspondents Association, Vice-President Leni Robredo, the Makati Business Club, the Catholic Bishops Conference, the most prestigious universities and communications schools, and the owners, managers and 11,000 staff of ABS-CBN, that the franchise be restored and freedom of the press be respected,” said Murphy.#
Human Rights Coalition calls for immediate re-opening of ABS-CBN
Global human rights group decries massacre of five Filipino farmers amid pandemic
Philippines still plagued by killings and arrests of food producers
“It alarms us that even Filipino farmers, who are food security front liners in a country barely winning the battle against the COVID-19, have become targets of the Philippine government’s more brutal crackdown,” says Peter Murphy, Chairperson of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP).
In a statement, ICHRP, a global network of human rights advocates, has strongly condemned the killing of farmers in this time of the pandemic. On top of the already slumped agriculture and distressed food producers, the relentless killings and attacks have wreaked fear in the country’s rural areas.
The farmers slain by state forces were identified as Jeric Vuno, Jerry Palanca, Robert Villafuerte, Raymundo Tañada, and Jaime Tañada residents of Dolos village in Bulan, Sorsogon province, 600 kilometres south of Manila. According to local reports, the victims were forcibly taken from their homes and executed at around 5 am on the morning of May 8.
The massacre was denied by the Philippine authorities, who instead claimed that the farmers were rebels. However, reports say that it was the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) who arrived that day and summarily executed the residents including Robert Villafuerte, who according to locals, suffers from a mental health problem.
Neighboring residents were also harassed and beaten up by the armed authorities which resulted in physical injuries. The victims were Alvin Abuyog, Randy Golimlim, Marissa Estiller, and her two children.
Another, more recent case is the illegal arrest of farmers in Calaca, in the province of Batangas early morning of May 10 by a joint police and military operation. According to sugar workers and members of the Samahan ng mga Magsasaka sa Coral ni Lopez (Organisation of Farmers in Coral ni Lopez-SAMACOLO), the seized victims were Virgilio Vidal, Marcelo Vidal, July Julongbayan, Leovino Julongbayan, Doroteo Bautista and Roilan Tenorio. The farmers’ group said that they were illegally arrested and that the arresting team forcibly entered the houses and planted guns, ammunition, and explosives. Local residents said that some of those arrested are their village officials and had been facilitating the distribution of cash aid a day before the incident.
The global human rights group has condemned President Duterte for using the COVID-19 as an occasion if not an excuse to further his aims to implement de facto martial law throughout the country. ICHRP highlighted the comment of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet that the Philippines’ “highly militarised response” to the pandemic had led to the arrest of more than 120,000 people including activists leading relief efforts.
“It is but heartbreaking and ironic that the killings and abuses continue at a time when we are trying to save lives from the lethal coronavirus,” says ICHRP. The government’s counterinsurgency operations in rural areas have been non-stop despite UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ reiteration for a global ceasefire. With the massacre in Sorsogon and the recent arrests in Batangas, food producers and rural folks have become the collateral damage. Since Duterte became president, there have been nearly 250 political killings of farmers.
“We call on our international colleagues to press for the accountability of state forces in the killings, arrests and other human rights violations in the Philippines,” ICHRP concluded.#
PH government urged to set political prisoners free amid the outbreak of coronavirus in jails
News Release
The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines reiterates its call to release political prisoners as COVID-19 infects hundreds in crowded Philippine prisons. Coronavirus outbreaks have been reported in one of the most congested jail facilities in the world, infecting both inmates and corrections personnel.
“With the Covid-19 outbreak in prisons, the 609 political prisoners are already facing their death sentence. The Duterte government should act now and release them on humanitarian grounds,” says ICHRP chairperson Peter Murphy.
Earlier last week, ICHRP and other human rights group raised concerns of underreporting of COVID-19 cases in detention facilities together with prison deaths not fully reported. At least four prisoners have died of the virus while more than 300 detainees tested positive for the virus in Cebu City Jail, in Central Philippines. Fears of outbreaks in other prison facilities linger as mass testing of prisoners remains unprioritized.
Despite the directive of the Supreme Court to release 9,731 detainees unable to afford bail, no political prisoners were freed. Most of the political prisoners’ cases are non-bailable and have been stalled in courts for years. Dario Tomada, a 60-year-old political detainee with diabetes and suffering from two respiratory ailments has been behind bars for 10 years because of the slow judicial process.
ICHRP also notes that these political prisoners are Filipino farmers, union leaders, critics of the government, and human rights defenders jailed under trumped-up charges. Most of them are still to undergo trial which according to the Philippine Constitution and international law makes them innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
“The same compassion shown to the 9,731 released prisoners should be given to political prisoners. We are once again appealing to the leaders of the Philippine judiciary system to act now, to make the just, humane decision of freeing the elderly, sick, vulnerable and all political prisoners,” says Murphy, as the Supreme Court has yet to decide on a bid to release political prisoners.
Families and human rights lawyers of 23 political detainees filed their petition to the country’s highest Court last April 8, asserting that they are not flight risks because they are old, frail, and sickly.
The filed petition also includes the creation of a Prisoner Release Committee which is intended to “urgently study and implement the release of all other prisoners in various congested prisons throughout the country who are similarly vulnerable but cannot be included in this Petition due to the difficult circumstances.”
Releasing prisoners had been endorsed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Michelle Bachelet. Other international groups such as the Prison Policy Initiative called for the release of low-risk detainees while Human Rights Watch warned about “catastrophic public health problems” if the government does not address the worsening situation of the Philippine prison system.
As of March 2020, the recorded congestion of Philippine prison facilities was 534%. Combined with unsanitary facilities, lack of water, nutritious food, and medical services, this situation has led to outbreaks of tuberculosis, other infectious diseases, and now the current threat of COVID-19.
Finally, ICHRP urges President Duterte and his government to heed the call of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Michelle Bachelet: “governments should release every person detained without sufficient legal basis, including political prisoners and others detained simply for expressing critical or dissenting views.”#
Photo from : European Pressphoto Agency
Reference:
Peter Murphy, Chairperson
International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines
Email: peter_murphy1_au@bigpond.com
OPEN LETTER: Urging again the Supreme Court of the Philippines to send political prisoners home
May 5, 2020,
H. E. Mr Rodrigo Duterte,
President of the Republic of the Philippines
Malcanang Palace
E-mail: op@president.gov.ph or http://op-proper.gov.ph/
Urging again the Supreme Court of the Philippines to send political prisoners home
Dear Excellency,
Following the release of 9,731 prisoners between March 17 and April 29, 2020, due to directives aimed at decongesting jails during the COVID-19 pandemic, and your statement that 100 prisoners would be released each week, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) is again urging the Supreme Court of the Philippines to delay no longer its decision on the release of political prisoners.
The Supreme Court has been considering this petition since April 17, when we wrote to you last, and may have delayed to await a move from you.
We are appealing to the leaders of the Philippine judiciary system to make the just, humane and compassionate decision of urgently freeing the elderly, sick and vulnerable political prisoners. There are 609 political prisoners detained in congested prisons and 47 of them are elderly while 63 are with pre-existing medical conditions and suffering from life-threatening illnesses.
Twenty-three of these detainees filed their petition to the Supreme Court last April 8, asserting that they are not flight risks because they are old, frail and sickly. Last March 29, Karapatan also made an urgent appeal for the release of political prisoners, especially those suffering from debilitating illnesses and the elderly.
We in ICHRP support the families, lawyers and human rights advocates in the Philippines working towards sending them home from these high-risk prisons.
ICHRP also notes that these political prisoners are Filipino farmers, union leaders, critics of the government and human rights defenders jailed under trumped-up charges. Most of them are still to undergo trial which according to the Philippine Constitution, and international law makes them innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
The filed petition also includes the creation of a Prisoner Release Committee which is intended to “urgently study and implement the release of all other prisoners in various congested prisons throughout the country who are similarly vulnerable but cannot be included in this Petition due to the difficult circumstances.”
Releasing prisoners had been endorsed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms Michelle Bachelet. Other international groups such as the Prison Policy Initiative called for the release of low-risk detainees while Human Rights Watch warned about “catastrophic public health problems” if the government does not address the worsening situation of the Philippine prison system.
As of March 2020, the recorded congestion of Philippine prison facilities is 534%. Combined with unsanitary facilities, lack of water, nutritious food and medical services, this situation has led to outbreaks of tuberculosis, other infectious diseases and now the current threat of COVID-19.
Finally, ICHRP has urged the Court to heed the call of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms Michelle Bachelet: “governments should release every person detained without sufficient legal basis, including political prisoners and others detained simply for expressing critical or dissenting views.”
As of this writing, countries that have released prisoners as part of their response to the pandemic include the USA, Canada, Germany, Iran, India, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Morocco, and Egypt.
Sincerely,
Peter Murphy, Chairperson, Global Council,
International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines
Cc: Mr. Diosdado M. Peralta, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines; Mr. Menardo Guevarra, Secretary of the Department of Justice; Mr. Jose Luis Martin Gascon, Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights; Mr Antonio Guterres, United Nations; UN Special Rapporteur on EJK; DFAT Desk; Senator Marise Payne, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Senator Penny Wong; Senator Richard Di Natale, Andrew Wilkie MHR; Julia Dean.
LABOR DAY: Protests against Duterte’s “De Facto” Martial Law held around the world
News and Video Release
ICHRP condemns Labor Day arrests and murder of Filipino activist leading relief response to COVID-19
More than 20 cities launched physical and online protests in today’s International Workers Day to denounce President Duterte’s De Facto Martial Law. International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) initiated the global day of action together with its chapters in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia.
Protests were held in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Washington D.C., Portland, San Francisco, New York, Honolulu, New Jersey, London, Amsterdam, Spain, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, France, Seoul, Hong Kong, Sydney, and Manila.
“We are supporting the workers and Filipinos’ fight against Duterte’s tyranny. We have strongly denounced his repressive policies and now, more than ever rejects his Martial Law agenda at the time of Covid-19 pandemic,” says ICHRP chairperson Peter Murphy who also joined protests in Sydney.
The global human rights group noted that on top of Duterte’s bloody human rights record, there is now a more brutal crackdown against civilians and critics. Recently, the Philippines earned the reprimand of the United Nations when it called out governments who used repressive measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet cited how the Philippines’ “highly militarised response” to the pandemic had led to the arrest of 120,000 people for violating the curfew.
“We deplore that the Duterte Regime has been using Covid-19 as a means of furthering his aims to implement de facto martial law throughout the country,” says ICHRP’s Asia-Pacific spokesperson Sister Patricia Fox.
Filipino organisations who have been extending relief to those affected by the lockdown are being targeted, arrested, and red-tagged by authorities. On the eve of Labor Day, local community leader Jose Reynaldo Porquia was assassinated. He was leading relief efforts in poor communities in Iloilo City, Central Philippines. “We are denouncing the brutal killing of Porquia. We are one with families and friends in demanding justice. The utter disregard for life and attacks against civilians doing humanitarian work merits international condemnation. We say no more to Duterte’s de facto Martial Law!”, Murphy stressed.
The global human rights group also condemns the recent attacks against relief volunteers and activists during the International Labor Day. A spike in arrests and detention were documented in the country’s capital Manila, in parts of Luzon and Central Philippines:
· Four youth volunteers of a feeding program and 14 residents of Barangay. Central in Quezon city
· Ten volunteers distributing food packs in the city of Marikina
· Four residents of “Protest From Home” in Valenzuela
· Two unionists holding up placards in Rodriguez, Rizal province
· 16 workers of Coca-Cola factory were abducted and forced to surrender as rebels in Sta. Rosa, Laguna province
· 42 citizens conducting a caravan and candle lighting for the slain activist Porquia in Iloilo, Central Philippines
“The irony that they’ve been arresting workers and volunteers during Worker’s Day attests to the De facto Martial law being implemented across the archipelago. Relief volunteers should be allowed to serve the poor, more so, workers and activists exercising their right to peaceful protests should be left alone,” says ICHRP.
“While appalling, Duterte’s militarist response to COVID-19 is in character with his violent regime. Four years into his presidency, Duterte continues to shift from policy to policy that all manifest in de facto martial law in the country”, says ICHRP-US spokesperson Drew Elizarde-Miller in their online Labor Day protest. The ICHRP chapter in the US has been consistently campaigning for the end of US military aid that goes to Duterte’s drug war and repressive policies.
In the same series of protests, members of ICHRP Europe also called for the release of political prisoners on humanitarian grounds as the whole world battles the COVID-19 pandemic. As of March 2020, the recorded congestion of Philippine prison facilities is 534% with 133,316 deprived of liberty according to the country’s Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. There have been more than 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in these prisons and accounts of under-reporting have raised concerns from ICHRP, Human Rights Watch, and other international groups.
In a recorded video, the same calls to release political prisoners was echoed by ICHRP Canada board member Rev. Japhet Ndhlovy saying that: “Set them free. This is a health crisis and not a militarized situation. They also asserted that the government should address the health crisis by improving health facilities, conducting mass testing for all and providing all the necessary protective equipment for front line workers, instead of intensifying militarization and violence.
“As the global pandemic and economic crisis worsens, we call on our international colleagues to press for the accountability of state forces in the killings and other human rights violations in the Philippines. We should turn our faces to the Philippines as workers, farmers, urban poor and a growing number of Filipinos struggle against a tyrant. The people of the world demand health care and livelihood, not martial law!” Murphy concluded.#
Reference:
Peter Murphy, Chairperson
International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines
Email: peter_murphy1_au@bigpond.com