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Global organisation of human rights advocates calls out PH’s anti-terrorism law

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Global organisation of human rights advocates calls out PH’s anti-terrorism law

ICHRP supports Filipinos’ demand for the junking of terror bill

The International Coalition of Human Rights for the Philippines (ICHRP) condemns the recent approval of an anti-terrorism bill in the Philippine Senate. “We are appalled by how laws that further curtail the freedoms of the Filipinos are being railroaded under the Duterte government,” says ICHRP chairperson Peter Murphy.  

The legislation seeks to amend and bolster the country’s current Human Security Act, a repressive law that has been repeatedly used to justify arrests and file trumped-up charges against activists and government’s critics. If made into law, the new version allows violations of human rights such as the right to security and privacy, curtailment of the freedom of expression, freedom of association, and the right to due process. It legalizes warrantless arrest and detainment and even allows wiretapping and other surveillance in extended periods of time.

“This erodes the freedoms and liberties of Filipinos which are inalienable, guaranteed by its Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other internationally agreed-upon instruments to which the Philippines is a signatory,” ICHRP asserts.

Grassroot organisations and progressives have spoken up against the proposed bill. Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance of the Philippines notes that “this draconian law will surely be used to intimidate, silence and jail critics, political dissenters, members of the opposition, critical media, and anyone that gets the ire of the President.” While the biggest organisation of farmers for land reform KMP or Peasant Movement of the Philippines insists that “it will give wide authority to categorise otherwise legal acts, profession and business, as criminal.” According to the farmers, it will also institutionalize the branding and tagging of activists especially of the rural poor who are plagued by massive militarization.

Recently people rights alliance Karapatan joined other concerned groups to call for the junking of the law as counterpart bills are pending to complete its full passage.  “It infringes on and effectively curtails people’s democratic rights and lays the legal groundwork for a de facto martial rule,” says Karapatan in a press conference.

ICHRP supports the Filipino people in their fight to defend their civil and political rights and oppose the weaponization of the law against its citizens. “We have seen the political killings; heard the accounts of survivors and family members; and felt the growing discontent of Filipinos. This law will not in any way protect civilians from acts of terrorism, instead, it will only intensify the already deplorable human rights situation under the Duterte government,” says Mr. Murphy.

ICHRP calls on other freedom-loving peoples around the world to condemn the anti-terrorism bill. It pledges to garner more support for the Filipinos in resisting attacks and in defending their basic human rights.#

International human rights group decry Philippine government closure of Lumad sanctuary

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International human rights group decry Philippine government closure of Lumad sanctuary

Duterte’s gross violation of indigenous people’s rights amounts to crimes against humanity

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) condemned last Thursday the resolution to close the United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP) sanctuary for Lumad indigenous people in Davao, Philippines.

This is not only an attack against the already displaced Lumad people and but an outright harassment of the church workers and human rights defenders opening their institutions for victims of internal displacement.

Peter Murphy, ICHRP chairperson

A resolution issued by the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) endorsed the closure of the sanctuary in UCCP Haran Center last January 15. The council also threatened supporters of the Lumad people with arrests and trumped-up charges.

“There are more than 500 indigenous people seeking refuge in the UCCP Haran from different towns of Arakan, Talaingod, Kapalong, and parts of Compostela Valley province. We are here because our families, children are constantly under threat from militarization, increased presence of soldiers and aerial bombings,” says local group PASAKA (Confederation of Lumad Organization in Southern Mindanao) leader Jong Monzon.

The closure is the newest of the Philippine government’s series of attacks against the indigenous people of the island. Last October, the Department of Education, in the same region, ordered the permanent closure of 55 schools of the Salugpongan Ta Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center solely based on a report from army generals that students are being taught to rebel against the government. According to the human rights organisation Karapatan, there are 54 killings of indigenous people under Duterte as of June of 2019.

“What more do they want? They’ve murdered our people. They’ve already displaced us from our ancestral land. They’ve also shut down our schools,” said Datu Mentroso Malibato who has been staying at UCCP Haran center since 2015.

“[We] stand firm on our commitment to serve the indigenous people in Davao region. By doing our duty to act as shepherds of the poor and the deprived we manifest our unwavering commitment to defend the rights of those who are deprived of their civil liberties” says in the statement of UCCP Southeast Mindanao Jurisdictional Area which maintains the Lumad sanctuary.

“We are appealing to the international community—to human rights advocates and organisations, to other churches, to peace-loving individuals, to other indigenous groups and nations that we denounce this violation of the right to life of the Lumad people,” says Murphy.

The ICHRP will also be submitting its report to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights which includes attacks on indigenous peoples and national minorities amounting to crimes against humanity. The submission is in response to the call of the UN Human Rights Council’s resolution to look into the human rights situation in the Philippines.#

Portland Human Rights Commission Votes in Favor of Resolution to Suspend Military Aid to Duterte Regime

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Portland Human Rights Commission Votes in Favor of Resolution to Suspend Military Aid to Duterte Regime

Portland, OR — In the evening of January 8th, the Portland Human Rights commission voted to submit a historic resolution to the Portland City Council to suspend U.S. military Aid to the Philippines. Since 2016, the U.S. has provided the Philippines with over 550 million dollars in military aid, despite Philippine President Duterte’s infamous and widespread human rights violations that have resulted in over 30,000 killings in the country.  

Dozens of Filipino human rights activists and community members joined the Portland Human Rights Commission meeting to support the resolution and testify about the effects of Duterte’s “war on drugs” and crackdown on human rights defenders.

“Youth should not have to grow up looking down the barrel of a gun” said Veronica Porter from GABRIELA Portland and the Malaya Movement, describing the situation of many youth growing up in the Philippines who are facing indiscriminate harassment from state forces. Porter recently returned from a delegation to Panay island in the Visayas, Philippines. 

Dr. Crystallee Crain, Portland Human Rights Commissioner and author of the resolution, stated, “I believe that it’s important to use our voices for change and to impress upon the leaders of the city, state, and country that we do not support these violations of human rights.”

Clearly moved by the constituent testimonies, the Commission voted 6-1-1 to push for the resolution at the level of Portland City Council. The Commission also voted to write a public statement of support. The current draft of the resolution will be submitted for a vote at Portland City Council on a later date yet to be determined. 

“While this is a big step in the right direction, I encourage leaders in Congress to divest unnecessary military aid that are being unjustly utilized. We should not allow our elected officials to squander tax dollars to dictatorships that aim to bolster their own power. We need massive review and reform of appropriations on the federal level. Our local work is meant to catalyze the movement in that direction,” continued Dr. Crain. 

Sam Miller, Regional Coordinator for the Portland Chapter of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, added, “In a progressive city like Portland, this is an important move forward in living those progressive values on an international level. I applaud the members of the Human Rights Commission for recognizing the interconnectedness of their advocacy for human rights in Portland and the global struggle for freedom, democracy and justice.”

The Portland resolution is a part of growing diplomatic pressure against Duterte and a contribution to the U.S.-wide campaign to suspend military aid to the Philippines. In 2019, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution calling for an investigation of the human rights situation in the Philippines, and in September, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a similar resolution, which calls for the suspension of military aid to the Philippines. On the same day of the Portland Human Rights Commission vote, the U.S. Senate passed Resolution S142, which condemns human rights violations in the Philippines and the detention of Senator Leila De Lima and harassment of journalist and Time Magazine Person of the year Maria Ressa. 

International human rights group laud conviction of Ampatuans

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International human rights group laud conviction of Ampatuans

Acquittal of accused cops raises concern

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines welcomes the recent verdict to convict 28 persons including three Ampatuan siblings principally charged for the death of 57 individuals, 32 of whom were journalists. The 28 will be facing 40 years of imprisonment while fifteen others were convicted with lesser jail time.

The decision was served on December 19, 2019 by Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Quezon City Regional Trial Court, in the country’s capital, more than 10 years after the worst media killing and worst election-related killing in Philippine history.

However, current local Mayor Sajid Ampatuan, one of the members of the notorious clan, and 52 other accused, 30 of whom are cops, were acquitted. ICHRP is worried at the message this sends out at time of continuing culture of impunity. “By acquitting all the policemen involved in the killings, it has held the government unaccountable for the massacre,” says ICHRP.

Nevertheless, we welcome this long overdue verdict and bittersweet victory for the families and the Filipino people. If not for the vigilance of journalists, surviving families, and human rights advocates, justice would still be elusive.

Peter Murphy, Chairperson ICHRP

It is well known that the Ampatuans are political allies with Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who was Philippine president when the mass killing happened. Arroyo was not legally held accountable as commander-in-chief at that time and she is now restored into power through the high position of House Speaker in the Congress. She also enjoys being part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s close allies.

ICHRP also stressed their concern with how the Ampatuans are able to stall the case for 10 years and were even granted privileges in jail — “This only proves that human rights violators and murderers in the Philippines will do everything in their power to bend the law in their favor. Therefore, we are one with the call of human rights organizations and individuals to be vigilant and to guard this historic victory from being overturned.”

“The battle for justice may be long but Filipinos have proven, time and again, their unwavering dedication to carrying on the fight. Again, we salute the families, the journalists, human rights workers, lawyers and supporters who, for 10 years, never gave up. We will continue to support the search for justice for all victims of human rights violations in previous regimes and exacting accountability for the crimes of the fascist Duterte government,” Murphy concludes. #

Support the Filipino People’s Struggle, Not U.S. War

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Support the Filipino People’s Struggle, Not U.S. War

 

On December 10th, Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesperson announced the President would lift martial law in Mindanao two years after its initial implementation. This is a welcome development; however, under a President who has authored 30,000 killings in a war on drugs and unleashed endless attacks against human rights defenders, the move to lift martial law in Mindanao neither absolves Duterte’s guilt nor indicates a change a halt to the Presidents growing list of crimes against humanity.

 

The news brings further attention to the fact that Duterte has not needed to declare martial law over the whole country in order to carry out military rule; Duterte has instead implemented Executive Order 70, the National Task Force to End Local communist armed conflict, and Memorandum 32, a redeployment of state forces to “suppress lawless violence.” According to Karapatan, Duterte’s program of harassment and violence have resulted in 293 political killings, at least 204 people tortured, 429 victims of frustrated extrajudicial killings, 94,075 threatened and harassed and the arrests of 382 of the 629 political detainees in the country. As long as Duterte can continue such a level of repression with impunity, he has no need for any formal declaration of martial law.

 

But whatever guise Duterte uses to try and obscure his dictatorship, his attempts to dupe people in the Philippines and abroad are failing. As evident in the UN Human Rights Council investigation on human rights in the Philippines, the International Criminal Court movement towards its own investigation, the recent statement from U.S. Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders against repression of workers and unions in the Philippines, and in the growing number of people protesting Duterte worldwide, international dissent against the regime continues to grow. Even Bono is calling Duterte to accountability.

 

Still, there are those who lend support to Duterte. Since 2016, the U.S. has supplied $554.55 million in defense assistance to the regime. Furthermore, In a recent report from the Commission on Human Rights in the Philippines, “47 major companies, including Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP and Total, could be found legally and morally liable for human rights harms to Filipinos resulting from climate change.”  Whether it is President Trump or multinational corporations, only those who seek to profit from the exploitation of Filipinos align with Duterte. In the end, those who do win financial gains from political repression are far outnumbered by those of us who support and uphold human rights in the Philippines; what remains for us is to organize more broadly and boldly.

 

On International Human Rights Day, ICHRP-US declares our unequivocal solidarity with the Filipino people, and we voice our support not only for individual and civil rights in the Philippines, but to the Filipino people’s collective right to self-determination and national liberation. While millions of dollars flow to U.S. defense assistance and multinational corporations that exploit people and their land, we call on people in the U.S. to join the solidarity movement for the Philippines and support the Filipino people’s struggle, not U.S. war and exploitation! #

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