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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.
Seventy-five-year-old Rodolfo Diaz, a member of the Tumandok tribe, and the oldest political prisoner in Panay, walked out of the Iloilo District Jail on October 28 after the local court granted his petition for bail.
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."
Over the past five years, at least two people from rural communities have been killed weekly in the struggles against land grabs, based on estimates by the Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific (PANAP). More than eight are arrested and detained weekly, and more than two are harassed or assaulted.
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.
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.
“In short, we are attacked because we take on cases, clients and issues which many others cannot or will not take on.”
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.
The 303rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army (PA) ordered civilians to either vacate their homes or stay indoors as pursuit operations are being conducted against New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.
The New People's Army said Juanito Magbanua was summarily-killed as there was no clash in the area and only four shots were fired that ended the ailing rebel spokesperson’s life.
“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 signed SIM Registration Law poses problems for privacy rights as the Philippine government is notorious for illegal surveillance and violations of data privacy. The SIM registration can become a vast surveillance network used against the people.”
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."
"Given the example set by the late CHR Chair Chito Gascon, Atty. Palpal-latoc has big shoes to fill. But we hope to see the same exacting standards of integrity, independence, probity, steadfastness as well as openness and support for victims of human rights violations that are demanded of him and the entire commission especially amid a pervasive climate of impunity."
“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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