Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has seemingly scraped the bottom of the proverbial barrel with his two newest appointees to his Cabinet — Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa. During Teodoro’s stint as Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s defense secretary from August 2007 to October 2009, Karapatan documented 181 extrajudicial killings, 24 enforced disappearances, 20 cases of …
If there is anything that recent abduction cases prove, it is the existence of secret prisons maintained by State forces, in violation of Republic Act 10353 or the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012. On August 20, 2022, Cordilleran activist Stephen “Steve” Tauli was abducted outside the office of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) …
Karapatan strongly condemns the continuing violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) perpetrated by State agents against civilians and hors de combat. In Bohol, National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultant Manuel “Ka Dodie” Tinio was shot seven times after he was arrested on April 14, 2023, while driving a motorcycle between San Miguel City and …
Rights group scores continuing international humanitarian law violations by AFP Read More »
A habeas corpus petition has been filed by the lawyers of labor activist Ernesto Jude C. Rimando Jr. before the Regional Trial Court in Taguig City, calling for the authorities holding him in custody to produce him before the court, and for the court to order his immediate release from detention after notice and hearing. …
Detained labor activist to file habeas corpus suit for his release Read More »
As the world observes the International Week of the Disappeared this last week of May 2023, we remember the countless victims of this grave injustice who have been arrested, detained, abducted, or forcibly deprived of liberty through other means, often by state agents or state-sanctioned entities. The victims are not surfaced, thus leaving families in …
Karapatan Statement on the International Week of the Disappeared Read More »
Karapatan welcomes the long overdue decision of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities in Kidapawan City to dismiss the criminal case of direct assault on persons in authority filed in April 2016 against 43 farmers, who sought urgent food aid amid government’s lack of a comprehensive response to the damage, hunger and disaster wrought by …
Karapatan on the dismissal of charges vs 43 farmers in Kidapawan Read More »
Karapatan condemns in the strongest terms the arbitrary arrest of elderly Bohol activist Adolfo Salas Sr. The 75-year-old Salas, who was among the founders of Hugpong sa mga Mag-uumang Bol-anon (HUMABOL-KMP) and currently the vice chair of the Alayon sa mga Mag-uuma sa Candijay (AMACAN-HUMABOL-KMP), was arrested today, May 25, 2023, between 1:00 a.m. and …
Karapatan condemns arrest of elderly Boholano peasant leader Read More »
Human rights alliance Karapatan condemned the railroading of the Maharlika Investment Fund Bill, with the Senate version involving the use of at least PhP 500 Billion, mainly from public funds through the Land Bank, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and other government agencies. …
Human rights alliance Karapatan threw its support behind Kapatid’s renewed campaign for a Writ of Kalayaan aimed at addressing the urgent need to decongest jails and safeguard the lives of vulnerable prisoners, in light of the resurgent threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kapatid, a support group composed of friends and relatives of political prisoners, …
Karapatan hails renewed campaign for Writ of Kalayaan amid surging COVID-19 cases Read More »
Karapatan denounces the attacks against trade unionists and demands justice for long-time trade union and community organizer Susano Labora, who succumbed to a stroke on May 6, 2023, after being intensively harassed and interrogated by men who introduced themselves as “admins” from the Philippine Army. The men first interrogated Labora on May 4 at his …
