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“Under a regime that takes pride in treason, tyranny, mass murder and plunder, the legal standards are degraded to the level of murderers and the standard of learning is also demeaned when Marxism or communism is merely equated to terrorism.”
Renato Reyes Jr. of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said the designation "is arbitrary, no clear standards, no specific terrorist acts cited, just a sweeping accusation."
Esperon, who sits as the vice-chair of the terror council, refused to provide Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe the names of those they will designate as terrorists as it may preempt the ATC.
“It is not merely provocation. What I fear about is the phrase ‘provoke the government’ is too vague so as to include any kind of provocation. It did not say that to provoke a government to do or to abstain from doing an act. Just it stated that to provoke the government."
A daughter's last conversation with her dying father and the abominable situation inside the Angeles city jail that led to another death of a political prisoner. Joseph Canlas was the ninth under the Duterte administration and the fourth since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The militarist and punitive framework of policing the pandemic in the form of policies resulting in mass arrests and detention of alleged violators runs counter to the purpose of quarantine protocols which is to protect and uphold people’s health."
A day before the World Press Freedom Day, a former NUJP officer was shot dead in Capiz and a campus journalist's house was raided in Bicol.
A pastor and a youth leader were arrested in early morning raids in Camarines Sur and Albay.
According to their lawyer, there was no preliminary investigation conducted. The accused also did not receive a copy of the subpoena, affidavits of the complainants and other pertinent documents about the case.
"Leaders like Joseph and Pol have no desire but to see the people of the Philippines live fair and just lives. Their arrest and imprisonments only further show the correctness of their work and the Duterte government's failure to prioritize the true needs of the people during a global pandemic."
The prosecutor noted that the statements of the witnesses, co-witnesses and the circumstances leading to the identification of Jenelyn Nagrampa-Caballero and Pastor Dan San Andres “are tainted with doubt and irregularity.”
Pason’s family hailed from the municipality of Toboso. Their family later moved to Silay City, where he took on all jobs possible to make ends meet. As a dedicated uncle, he sent his nieces to school.
“There is a clear and systemic pattern of vilifying human rights defenders as ‘terrorists’ or ‘subversives’ that has started even before the Duterte regime.”
Apart from the red-tagging of Joseph Canlas on social media, threats were felt by members of his family in their own homes.
Under the Anti-Terrorism Act or Republic Act 11479, the Anti-Terrorism Council is given vast powers, including the power to designate individuals and groups as terrorists without due process.
“Unionists are not terrorists. Terrorists do not fight for wages, decent conditions, and workers’ rights. Terrorists are those who intimidate, arrest, and kill people who stand up for justice and the common good.”
“Such actions should be taken as examples on how courts should address in a relevant and timely manner the particular risks to life, security and liberty of human rights defenders.”
KMU condemned the police’s “criminal act” as direct and dangerous attacks against labor unionists and other human rights defenders.
“At this crucial juncture when the other institutions have defaulted on us, we fervently welcome these bold and unequivocal declarations, initial steps and further plans from our very own refuge.”
“Domestic remedies have been ineffective at providing redress and at halting continued abuses. The power imbalance between victims of state violence, and perpetrators who have the backing of government apparatuses, is grave. Structures to redress this imbalance are lacking.”
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