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The IADL said that the military's red tagging of NUPL contradicts Article 16 of the Basic Principles, which mandates governments to ensure that lawyers are able to perform all of their professional functions “without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference."
They [policemen] pointed their guns at Djastin who raised his hands and said, “Huwag po. Huwag po.”
“We fight not only for our sons and husbands. We do this for the killings to stop. So that there will be no more victims.”
“We echo the same challenge to the Duterte government and its rabid gang of militarists: If indeed human rights organizations are merely spouting lies to defame the government, then do not block efforts by the ICC (International Criminal Court) and United Nations Independent Experts to investigate these human rights violations that we have reported and exposed.”
Sa Digma ng Halimaw is necessary theater. Because truths, no matter how painful and brutal, are told. And outside the four walls, as we go out, it is necessary to fight
The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Army finally surfaced National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Francisco “Ka Frank” Fernandez after arresting him early Sunday morning and denying he was in their custody to human rights responders.
“Human rights defenders helping the victims and survivors, as well as those working to expose the real situation of extensive rights violations on the ground should not be subjects of attack.” - political prisoners
Frank Fernandez was the sixth NDFP peace consultant arrested since President Rodrigo Duterte terminated peace negotiations with the Left in November 2017.
Like the complaints it filed against four NDFP consultants it arrested in succession in 2018, the Philippine National Police (PNP) charged Gamara and his companion, retired priest Arturo Balagat, with illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
"The killings of Pangadas, Vinas and Suganob bring to light the continuous attack and atrocities being committed by state forces against indigenous and peasant communities."
Renante Gamara, NDFP peace consultant for the National Capital Region, was arrested by the Regional Special Operations Unit of the National Capital Region Police Office-Philippine National Police, Philippine Army and intelligence agents last night and was first brought to Camp General Pantaleon Garcia in Imus, Cavite.
“Even more outstandingly ironic is that we as international lawyers made time to see things firsthand on the reported attacks on our peers and brethren out of genuine concern and who in good faith humbly put forward concrete recommendations for consideration by the authorities are ourselves the object of attack.”
"The more serious the crime, the less serious the investigation."
“The Duterte government is run by pathological liars and militarists who are corrupt to the core, able to subvert laws and mechanisms to evade accountability."
"If they can kill lawyers, then they can practically kill anybody.”
It aims to "stifle economic analysis that is inconsistent with its (Duterte administration's) preferred narrative of growth and development."
“We cannot expect to be able to fight for justice if we cannot protect the peoples’ lawyers.”
Human rights group Karapatan, in a letter, submitted to CHR Chairperson Jose Luis Gascon said: “These attacks come in a myriad of forms, but altogether has put the lives, security, and liberty of the organization’s national and regional chapters and members at grave risk.”
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