Region: National

Pahubay, a Banwaon ritual that literally means to ‘soften the heart’ was performed by Banwaon Datuand Bae at Plaza Miranda, Quiapo as they appealed to the people of Metro Manila, especially those from Mindanao, to support their call for justice and to stop extrajudicial killings and forced evacuation of peasants and indigenous peoples in Mindanao, due to continuous …

Mindanao peasants, IPs in Manila, call to stop killings and large-scale mining Read More »

Bounty and pop stars, instead of releasing political detainees Karapatan said that, “While the Aquino government plays dead on the call to release political prisoners, it offered bounty for so-called communist leaders and got pop stars to endorse Oplan Bayanihan, the counter-insurgency program that has caused lives of 114 people. The act is both desperate …

Aquino govt’s “righteous road to peace” bodes ill for peace Read More »

Women human rights defenders from Tanggol Bayi, Ecumenical Women’s Forum, BAI National Alliance of Indigenous Women, KAMP, International Women’s Alliance and Gabriela today trooped to the Department of Justice in Manila, in time for the global commemoration of the International Women Human Rights Defenders Day.      With their calls expressed in indigenous woven cloth …

Aquino’s ‘superbody’ camouflages HR situation ala Arroyo –Tanggol Bayi Read More »

“Would the Aquino government finally pull off the $13M US and other foreign aid, which means money from the international community, with the creation of Aquino’s ‘superbody’ to investigate the killings, disappearances, torture and other rights violations?” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay asked wryly.   Karapatan said that the Aquino government is “hell bent on …

Is Aquino ‘superbody’ worth $13M US and aid from the international community? Read More »

Karapatan criticized the “superbody” created by the Aquino government to investigate the killings, disappearances, torture and other rights violations “for the inclusion of the Defense Secretary, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and director general of the Philippine National Police in the inter-agency committee which will be formed through an …

Credibility of ‘superbody’ for rights violations questioned Read More »

Prevailing impunity under Noynoy  Another hearing is set today at the Malolos Regional Trial Court for the kidnapping and illegal detention case against Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr., with Raymond Manalo taking the witness stand again for a cross-examination by the defense counsels for Palparan’s co-accused Cols. Anotado and Osorio.  Karapatan deplored the fact that the …

Almost a year of court hearings without Palparan Read More »

Today’s commemoration of the International Day to End Impunity not only highlights the Aquino government’s failure to end impunity but more so, how the government perpetuates impunity. Since 2009, the backhoe symbolized the Ampatuan massacre where 58 people, including 32 journalists, were felled. Three years after, the backhoe remains a sordid reminder of one of …

Aquino perpetuates impunity Read More »

The recently concluded fact-finding mission in sitio Alyong, Kimlawis, Kiblawan, Davao del Sur affirmed Karapatan’s claim that the Capion family was massacred and not killed in an encounter; and Daguil Capion, the supposed target of the military attack, was not with his family in the farm hut as the military claims.

On the GPH signing of the ASEAN HR declaration  “Phil. Pres. Noynoy Aquino feigns his administration’s concern for human rights with the adoption of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration, while his state security forces continue to commit human rights violations with impunity. This is hypocrisy, at the very least, and an international PR paradox, at …

Hypocrisy amid worsening rights situation in PH Read More »