Member organization: Karapatan

Since 1999, the Philippine government has been marking August as International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Month, with every 12th of August designated as IHL Day. Officially, the commemoration is designed to raise awareness about the importance of protecting civilians and hors de combat during armed conflict. Yet some of the most appalling atrocities have been perpetrated …

Marcos regime is foremost violator of international humanitarian law Read More »

Political prisoners at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City demanded accountability, the return of their funds, and the abolition of the “trust fund” system at the prison, following the results of a recent audit at the CIW that revealed that up to ₱7 million of funds remitted by families of Persons Deprived …

CIW political prisoners demand accountability for corruption, “lost” funds of PDLs Read More »

Rights group KARAPATAN slammed Vice President Sara Duterte’s call for the public to show empathy toward persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), saying “it rings hollow when viewed against the Duterte administration’s grim record of human rights violations against detainees, including political prisoners.” According to the group, there is nothing objectionable about recognizing that all PDLs …

Really, empathy? Sara Duterte’s selective “empathy” exposes hypocrisy on prisoners’ rights Read More »

KARAPATAN said Sara Duterte must be held fully accountable for the misuse of ₱612.5 million confidential funds at the Office of Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) for counterinsurgency-related activities, including the reported surveillance and background checks on DepEd’s teachers and learners. The disclosures made during Duterte’s impeachment trial reveal not only the corrupt …

KARAPATAN: Sara Duterte must be held accountable for using DepEd confidential funds to bankroll counterinsurgency Read More »

KARAPATAN welcomed the Supreme Court’s issuance of the writs of amparo and habeas data, along with a Temporary Protection Order (TPO), in favor of human rights lawyer Atty. Rey Gorgonio and peasant rights advocates Joselito Macapobre, Analyn Mirano, and Ma. Anabelle Ilustrisimo, saying the Court’s action underscores the serious and imminent threats faced by human …

SC issuance of protective writs affirms the gravity of red-tagging threats vs. Negros rights defenders – KARAPATAN Read More »

Human rights and people’s organizations have formally called on the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to conduct an independent investigation into the Philippine National Police’s escalating attacks on peaceful protests, particularly the violent and illegal arrests during the People’s SONA on July 27. In a letter submitted to the CHR, the groups documented a pattern …

Groups ask CHR to investigate police violence, arbitrary arrests during People’s SONA and recent protests Read More »

KARAPATAN denounces the statement of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla yesterday absolving the Philippine National Police (PNP) of responsibility for the death of construction worker Eric Saber during the September 21, 2025 anti-corruption protest. Saber, a passerby on his way home from work, was struck by a bullet during …

KARAPATAN: Remulla cannot wash the blood off the PNP’s hands Read More »

KARAPATAN criticized the recent statements made by Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Pio Catapang Jr. denying the existence of political prisoners at the New Bilbid Prisons (NBP) or in any prison facility under the BuCor. Catapang made the statement in response to a petition by 45 political prisoners detained at the NBP, urging the …

KARAPATAN: Catapang can’t deny political prisoners–79 are in BuCor prisons Read More »

KARAPATAN strongly condemns the violent dispersal of protesters and harassment of photojournalists on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, near the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, as the human rights group warns the Philippine National Police (PNP) against any attempt to obstruct or block protests in the lead-up to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth …

KARAPATAN condemns PNP’s violent dispersal, harassment of protesters and journalists Read More »

Sen. Alan Cayetano’s reference to detained senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta as “political prisoners” is a grave insult to the 560 political prisoners and scores of former political prisoners, who have been persecuted by the State to deter them and their communities from exercising their rights and practicing their socio-political beliefs. Excuse me, Sen. …

Former political prisoner twits Cayetano on his remarks on political prisoners in the impeachment trial Read More »