KARAPATAN welcomed the Baguio City Council’s passage of an ordinance protecting human rights defenders. The ordinance includes provisions against red-tagging and political vilification, and provides victims legal recourse and access to remedies.
The ordinance, which was passed despite objections from the AFP and PNP, and harassment from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), mandates the Baguio City government to remove posters, tarpaulins and other materials that “promote false, unfounded and derogatory labeling of human rights defenders.”
“The passage of local ordinances protecting human rights defenders is actually long overdue,” said KARAPATAN secretary general Cristina Palabay, “especially after a nationally legislated human rights defenders bill hurdled Congress but has not yet been approved in the Senate.”
KARAPATAN hailed the efforts of its regional chapter, the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA), to have the proposed ordinance filed and passed by the Baguio City Council.
In March 2018, the CHRA had also succeeded in pushing for the passage of a city council resolution urging the national government to drop the terrorist tag against seven human rights defenders of Baguio City —Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Joan Carling, Atty. Jose Molintas, Beverly Longid, Joanna Cariño, Jeanette Ribaya and Windel Bolinget.
“KARAPATAN enjoins candidates vying for local and congressional posts to make commitments towards championing the proposed ordinance,” Palabay said.