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Reports from Samahan ng Mamamayang Nagkakaisa sa Sitio Buntog (SAMANA-Buntog) claim that Buntog is being “fenced off”, and goons are destroying farm plots they come across. “They’re even stealing fruits from our trees,” said Jojo de Leon, SAMANA-Buntog spokesperson, in a text message.
Based on the residents’ accounts, the Remasog brothers were charging their mobile phones at the house of farmer DeliaTenianu, when the soldiers arrived. The two girls, meanwhile, were trying to find a signal near the area.
“We are saddened and appalled by the ongoing violence and threats against human rights defenders in the Philippines, including the killing of two human rights defenders over the past two weeks.” -- UN spokesperson
Zara, who loved the sea, who loved to eat seafood and their local rice cake dipped in chocolate sauce, who worked tirelessly and selflessly, was murdered in one rainy evening. Yet, her fire burns eternal.
“We call on all member states of the UN Human Rights Council to be seized of the seriousness of the human rights situation in the Philippines and to adopt all the recommendations in your June 30 report on the human rights situation in the Philippines,” ICHRP Chairperson Peter Murphy said in his letter to Bachelet.
Karapatan ST was approached by relatives of the said guerrillas seeking help in recovering the remains after they were informed that they were in the custody of the police in Camp Vicente Lim, Calamba, Laguna. As of August 16, the team managed to secure the release of Mario Caraig’s remains to his sister, exhume Rey Macinas’ remains, and locate Perdeguera’s, which were both buried in Antipolo, Rizal.
Amid the pandemic, Zara Alvarez has been coordinating and conducting relief operations as part of a community health program. This despite repeated threats to her life and safety.
She was among the frequently red-tagged activists in Negros island. In 2018, her name and photo appeared in posters in the streets of Negros as one of the alleged ranking officials of the Communist Party of Philippines.
Randall Echanis, an unassuming man of peace, had sown and cared for enough seedlings to fill hectares of social activists who will not tire of pursuing justice and seeing into reality his fervent dreams – a bountiful harvest for Filipinos.
"Amid the pandemic and the modified enhanced community quarantine, authorities are pushing for the heartless and inhuman act of separating a baby from her only source of nutrition and protection at this early stage of her life."
State-approved bloodlust has resulted in grief for families of victims and profit for those who engage in bloody business. Out of all of Duterte’s campaign promises, it seems his challenge to “put up more funeral parlors” was the one that became true.
"This adds insult to our injury. It is both inhuman and unjust for the remains of my husband to be held under police custody and deprive us of having a proper and private mourning.” -- Erlinda Echanis
"I condemn the persistent harassment of PNP [Philippine National Police] La Loma-QCPD [Quezon City Police District] and their brazen act of snatching the remains of my husband Randall Echanis from us."
“Only rabid hacienderos, land grabbers, and militarist peace spoilers desire his death."
Under the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, Caraig’s rights as hors de combat were violated.
“The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 fails miserably to protect and preserve the guarantees of human rights and civil liberties enshrined in the Constitution and therefore must be struck down.”
"This bloodthirsty regime fetishes death and violence, and Duterte strongly batting to reimpose death penalty is not surprising but no less infuriating — it's as if the mass murder of the poor at the hands of the police in the sham drug war or in the hands of soldiers through the counterinsurgency program aren't forms of death penalty already, while the rich, the regime's most gung ho allies, and human rights violators can blatantly escape accountability without even an iota of remorse for their crimes."
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