By RAYMUND B. VILLANUEVA
Kodao Productions/Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Proving its reputation as the organization with the best lawyers money cannot buy, three officers and members of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) are the inaugural recipients of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ (IBP) Human Rights Awards.
NUPL chairperson Edre Olalia, NUPL-Cebu member Kristian Jacob Lora, and NUPL assistant vice president for Mindanao Antonio Azarcon were named as the top human rights lawyers for 2024 in a ceremony in Pasig City last December 5.
“The IBP and the rest of all human rights workers in the country congratulate and honor you for your unwavering commitment to the cause of human rights,” the official organization of all Philippine lawyers said.
“May you remain an instrument for social justice and an amplifier of courage for everyone to keep up the fight for the advancement of people’s rights and welfare,” the IBP added.
Olalia, also International Association of Democratic Lawyers interim president, is a three-decade veteran advocate for marginalized sectors.
His career was shaped by the Flor Contemplacion case where he assisted people’s lawyering pioneer Romeo Capulong. He now serves as main private defense counsel of Mary Jane Veloso who is set to return to the country after more than a decade in an Indonesian jail.
Among other prominent cases he handled includes the conviction of General Jovito Palparan for the 2006 disappearances of student activists, a landmark case in the Philippines.
Olalia has been instrumental in numerous campaigns for judicial reforms and has represented victims in both local courts and international bodies like the UN Human Rights Committee and the International Criminal Court.
Lora, also of the Visayas Community Legal Center, is a dedicated and accomplished lawyer known for his unwavering commitment to social justice, human rights, and advocacy for marginalized communities.
One of Lora’s most significant accomplishments is his tireless work on behalf of political prisoners and the oppressed.
He has successfully defended numerous individuals facing fabricated charges, such as the “Escalante 6” and the “Himamaylan 3,” securing dismissals and “not guilty” verdicts.
Lora’s impact also includes a key victory in the petition for writ of amparo for an NGO worker, which was reinstated by the Supreme Court after initially being dismissed.
His contributions reflect his unwavering belief in the power of law to protect the rights of the most vulnerable and his dedication to justice for all.
Azarcon, concurrent Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao chairperson, has devoted nearly five decades to advocating for human rights and justice, particularly in the Philippines during times of political unrest and authoritarian rule.
One of Azarcon’s most impactful accomplishments is his continuous leadership in defending human rights and providing legal aid to marginalized communities, leading numerous efforts to fight red-tagging and extrajudicial killings.
His legal work has resulted in the dismissal or acquittal of many unjustly accused individuals, particularly those in his home province of Surigao del Sur.
In his acceptance speech, Olalia paid tribute to Capulong and martyred colleagues such as Ben Ramos of NUPL-Negros.
He added that the award is an “extraordinary recognition by one’s own peers,” an acknowledgment of people’s lawyering as a legitimate field of practice.
“It is a vindication from the struggles with kith and kin on one’s choice in life. Finally, it hopefully will be a source of inspiration to others,” Olalia said of their award. Reposted by Bulatlat.com
