Human rights alliance Karapatan slammed the prevalence of injustice and the rising number of extrajudicial killings under the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte, as various groups marked International Human Rights Day through protest actions and other activities nationwide.
Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said the group has documented at least 17 cases of extrajudicial killings (EJK) of civilians under the administration’s counter-insurgency program, in addition to four other cases where the victims survived. Karapatan’s documentation includes the recent killing of peace consultant Ericson Acosta and peasant organizer Joseph Jimenez in Negros. If data from the Third World Studies Center’s Dahas project is considered, there have already been 150 individuals killed in the government’s anti-drug campaign, in the first five months alone of the Marcos Jr. – Duterte rule.
Human rights alliance Karapatan slammed the prevalence of injustice and the rising number of extrajudicial killings under the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte, as various groups marked International Human Rights Day through protest actions and other activities nationwide.
Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said the group has documented at least 17 cases of extrajudicial killings (EJK) of civilians under the administration’s counter-insurgency program, in addition to four other cases where the victims survived. Karapatan’s documentation includes the recent killing of peace consultant Ericson Acosta and peasant organizer Joseph Jimenez in Negros. If data from the Third World Studies Center’s Dahas project is considered, there have already been 150 individuals killed in the government’s anti-drug campaign, in the first five months alone of the Marcos Jr. – Duterte rule.
“Despite these sordid figures,” said Palabay, “there has been zero justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings. The culture of impunity continues to rear its ugly head.”
Karapatan said that in terms of cases of extrajudicial killings and human rights violations during Duterte’s term, the Task Force on Administrative Order No. 35 as well as the drug war review panel have both paltry results to show. “The Philippine government’s tall tales were belied through the numerous views and recommendations by various governments during the recent Universal Periodic Review, especially on the lack of accountability by State forces and actors,” she said.
Palabay also decried the rampant violations of civil and political rights that mark counter-insurgency operations especially in rural communities. “Close to 10,000 civilians have been forcibly evacuated from their villages, and their lives and livelihoods disrupted due to relentless military operations in the countryside, according to initial reports reaching Karapatan,” she said. “Some 3,000 barriofolk have likewise been victimized and their lives endangered by indiscriminate firing by soldiers conducting operations.”
“The number of political prisoners continues to rise,” said Palabay. As of November 30, there were 828 political prisoners, 96 of them sickly and 77 of them elderly, while 25 of the political prisoners were arrested under the current regime, or an average of more than one arrest per week since Marcos Jr. took over the reins of government.
“Two women activists, Ma. Elena Pampoza and Elgene Mungcal, who were abducted last July 3 and remain missing to date,” added Palabay, “have recently been granted writs of amparo but it remains to be seen whether the military establishment will actually be held accountable for their involuntary disappearance.”
The use of terror laws to suppress dissent, red-tagging and other threats, forced surrenders and brazen violations of freedom of expression, press freedom, and freedom of association are likewise on the uptick under the current regime.
Palabay demanded justice for the rising number of victims of EJKs and other rights violations as she further appealed to the international human rights community to step up processes and mechanisms, including proceedings in the International Criminal Court, to ensure that justice is attained especially for the thousands of EJK victims in the current and past regime.
“This dire situation continues, even as the rising costs of basic commodities, decreased value of wages and salaries, largely inadequate social services and landlessness pervade in poor communities. The attempts to use public and pension funds for the Maharlika sovereign fund are certainly shameless, while the PhP203 billion estate tax liability of the Marcoses remain unpaid and billions have yet to be returned by the thieving Marcos family,” Palabay said.
Karapatan said that “the Filipino people will resolutely fight to hold the government accountable for the trampling of their civil and political rights and will uphold human rights and democratic aspirations, even as multiple challenges and threats continue.”
Aside from the mass actions in Metro Manila, rallies and other activities will also be held in Naga City, Legazpi City, Sorsogon, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Baguio City, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Cebu City, Iloilo City, Roxas City, Kalibo, Bacolod City, and Davao City. Activities will also be held by Filipino human rights defenders and people’s organizations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong and Australia. #