Press statement

Today, we face the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security to assert that red-tagging is anathema to democracy and human rights.

Eleven years ago, 58 individuals, including 32 journalists and media workers, were brutally killed in a bloody massacre in Ampatuan, Maguindanao. For more than a decade, the families of the victims as well as journalists in the country have been relentless and tireless in their pursuit of justice — and on December 19 last year, Datu Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan were finally convicted for masterminding this heinous massacre.

The appointment of Mañanita cop Major General Debold Sinas as the new Philippine National Police chief does not come as a surprise for us: President Rodrigo Duterte has a clear penchant for rewarding the most notorious of human rights violators among his minions with rank promotions as well as higher budgets for their agencies.

Even with the 37 petitions before the Supreme Court questioning the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) have been finalized and released to the public. 

The IRR merely confirmed the issues raised by the petitioners regarding the draconian law and how it can potentially be weaponized against political dissenters, activists, members of the opposition, journalists and the broader public. 

Karapatan denounces the blatant and continuing acts of cruelty, inhuman and degrading treatment of political prisoner Reina Mae Nasino. We believe that these are not mere random displays of heartlessness and barbarity; these are policy actions by no less than the Duterte government which has effected the highly questionable arrests and case against Reina Mae and her colleagues. 

Granting Reina Mae Nasino a three-day furlough is a welcome act of compassion and reprieve for a mother who has already suffered too much cruelty — from an unjust imprisonment due to trumped-up charges, to being separated from her child right after giving birth, and now, the loss of her child. This court decision may be largely due to efforts of Reina Mae Nasino and her family, lawyers, human rights groups, and the general public to shed light on the issue.

Reina Mae Nasino endured her pregnancy behind bars, imprisoned over trumped-up charges. She pleaded to courts to grant her temporary humanitarian release for the delicate condition of bringing a child to the world amid the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country’s overcongested prisons — and yet the courts refused to listen.

Karapatan renews its call for the immediate release of 23-year old Reina Mae Nasino, following the death of her 3-month old baby around 8:50 p.m. last night, October 9, 2020, due to acute respiratory distress syndrome, at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

General Debate on Item 10: Technical Assistance and Capacity Building
45th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council
Joint Statement Delivered by the World Organisation Against Torture

Interactive Dialogue on Item 5: Report of the Secretary General 
45th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council 
Oral Intervention by CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation 
Delivered by Roneo S. Clamor