Archives: Media Releases

“The Court of Appeals’ denial of the petitions for writs of amparo and habeas data of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers aggravates the already dangerous situation of lawyers in the Philippines. Along with the court’s denial of a similar petition by human rights and development workers, the CA’s most recent decision speaks of the …

CA’s denial of NUPL’s amparo and habeas data petitions further endangers lawyers in PH Read More »

Karapatan, Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), and Gabriela today filed their petition for review at the Supreme Court, after the 14th Division of the Court of Appeals dismissed their petition for the writs of amparo and habeas data.

In their respective statements, the Council of Bishops of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines, led by its General Secretary Bishop Melzar Labuntog and composed of 27 bishops, and the Ecumenical Voice for Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (Ecuvoice) led by Rt. Rev. Rex B. Reyes, Jr., D.D. expressed support for …

Protestant bishops, ecumenical group air support for embattled human rights defenders Read More »

Human rights group Karapatan strongly condemns the spate of killings in Negros, now claiming four victims in one day. The killings were done using the same modus operandi – shot by riding-in-tandem and masked gunmen.

Karapatan denounces the coldblooded murder of another human rights lawyer in Negros. According to initial reports, Atty. Anthony Trinidad, 53, and his wife, Novie Marie, were on their vehicle yesterday afternoon when two motorcycle-riding assailants fired on them in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental. They were later rushed to the Guihulngan District Hospital, where Atty. Trinidad …

Red-tagging a prelude to the killings of activists and defenders -Karapatan Read More »

Rights group Karapatan slammed former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Senator Roland "Bato" dela Rosa’s recent election as chair of the Senate Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Committee in the 18th Congress, saying his chairpersonship would only result in a deceptive and partial investigation on the anti-narcotics campaign, as well as contribute to …

Karapatan: No justice, more death and deception as Bato leads senate inquiry on drug war Read More »

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. recently recommended another 1-year extension of martial law in Mindanao.

President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, 2019. Parallel protest actions, attended by tens of thousands, were held within and outside the country.  “For three more years, we will be confronted with the same ineffective and anti-people kill-kill-kill solution and policy framework of the Duterte government. Duterte …

Karapatan on Duterte’s SONA: Same old anti-people policies, new and harsher priorities Read More »

“The Duterte government is deliberately fueling fears and paranoia, spewing dangerous and oftentimes unfounded claims on criminality and terrorism. The three years of this government is anchored on bloated statistics and disinformation meant to justify widespread repression and unnecessary brutality directed towards the poor, the oppressed, and the critical. There is no transparency amid the …

Duterte’s 4th SONA: Three Years of State Terrorism, Deteriorating Human Rights Situation, and Gross Impunity Read More »

“We condemn the wrongful conviction of political prisoners Lilia Bucatcat, 72, and Billy Morada. Accused with trumped-up charges by the government, they have been languishing in prisons in different parts of the country for crimes they did not commit. Both are peasant organizers in the Eastern Visayas region. It is infuriating that the Duterte government …

Rights group slams wrongful conviction of two political prisoners Read More »