Anne Marxze D. Umil was Bulatlat’s first intern turned into its investigative reporter. She takes most things seriously, except praises about her. Sometimes, she cracks jokes that make everyone in the newsroom giggly.
Anne Marxze D. Umil was Bulatlat’s first intern turned into its investigative reporter. She takes most things seriously, except praises about her. Sometimes, she cracks jokes that make everyone in the newsroom giggly.
In an effort to highlight the attacks against press freedom in the international community, alternative media groups have submitted their complaints to experts from the United Nations on Friday, Nov. 11, in Geneva Switzerland.
The UNHRC said they are concerned at the “reports of increased crackdowns, including in the context of the government’s counter-terrorism and anti-illegal drug operations, on human rights defenders, activists and other civil society actors to discourage them from carrying out their legitimate activities.”
“We gather to put a stop to repeated attempts by the NTF-ELCAC and other state agencies to sow terror, confusion, and intimidate our people into silence and inaction. We gather to stand as one with the people in their struggles for democracy, social justice and genuine peace."
Families of the disappeared commemorate their loved ones on All Souls Day, decrying what they described as the “state’s apparent disregard for accountability and justice.”
This is the fourth cycle of the UPR. In the past years, different people’s organizations and human rights groups in the Philippines have participated in this process to add their voice and at the same time to demand from the Philippine government to fulfill its human rights obligations.
Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said that the red-tagging has become bold and relentless in spreading lies and terror-tagging more individuals from the media, activists and critics.
“They have many ways to silence us, but we also have many ways to continue."
“With the recent Comelec order, the NTF-ELCAC is now grasping at straws in its allegation of foreign funding, aside from clutching at concocted stories of fake rebels. We are confident that the truth will soon be affirmed and all the lies against us will be debunked."
In a resolution dated Oct. 14, Presiding Judge Radney Reginaldo Garcia said that the 42 accused are acquitted of simple disobedience under Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code for failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
“This important day was celebrated every year to recognize the contribution of rural-based women to the attainment of household and national food security, agriculture, and economic development, but in the Philippines, the sector remains a victim of system-wide poverty, hunger, and abuses, fueled by the chronic landlessness, oppression and exploitation, and suppression of its assertion of land rights."
Karapatan-Negros has already recorded illegal arrests and torture of seven farmers. There are also reports of livestock being stolen and slaughtered by the military.
The NUPL said that while the petition is pending, their members continue to face threats to life, liberty and security committed by the respondents, state agents, their proxies, enablers and supporters in different forms and platforms.
“However silly the term ‘operatibang internet operator’ sounds, the attempt to link Ms. Olea to the CPP-NPA-NDF for her work in Bulatlat and in NUJP shows how hollow the claim made by Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla before the UN Human Rights Council that red-tagging is simple criticism that is ‘part of a democracy.'"
Activists assert that red-tagging or terror tagging made by government officials and other state agents endangers the lives of their colleagues, lawyers and all those who are critical of the government. Many reports have also shown that red-tagged activists were slapped with trumped-up charges, or worse get killed or disappeared.
“We are worried that if this will not be addressed, the outbreak will also spread to nearby communities in the Sierra Madre. We also hope that this will be disseminated to private citizens and other non-government organizations who can help the Dumagats."
“The police personnel’s justification of their arrests along with other human rights defenders, is a blatant manifestation of weaponizing the law to silence and repress those who criticize the government’s failed pandemic response, corruption and trade union and human rights violations."
The order came days after the high court issued a stern warning against a certain Lorraine Badoy.
“We call on the Supreme Court to not let this pass and to take immediate, concrete and firm action to protect justice actors and rule of law. The Court must hold accountable those who threaten and malign our judges and lawyers."
“In their eyes, we are all communists if we advocate for human rights and protection of civil liberties. My message to Badoy, the victims and families of all your red-tagging will go after you. We will not stop until you are convicted and jailed."
“The GovPH argues that its criminal justice system generally functions well, and that certain administrative and other mechanisms may or can result in criminal proceedings. However, nothing in the observations nor in the hundreds of pages of associated annexes substantiates that criminal proceedings actually have been or are being conducted in anything more than a small number of cases."
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