The Philippines, together with Indonesia, received a score of 4.6 out of 10 in the Safety from the State metric. This indicates that many people are not adequately protected from arbitrary arrest, torture and ill-treatment, forced disappearance, and extrajudicial killing.
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The grounds for Duterte Youth's cancellation as per the petition included false representations from four out of five of its nominees; support for the unlawful and violent war on drugs of former president Rodrigo Duterte; and the partylist's bogus representation of the youth sector.
“I find Michelle as one of the brilliant and intelligent Lumad students of Alcadev. Like many indigenous youth who received education from this alternative learning institution, they have a stark characteristic: they are empowered enough to live and assert the indigenous peoples’ right to self determination.”
A notable finding from the report is the confirmation of the identities of three other individuals who have been under strict military custody in the hospital, together with Lumad leader Michelle Campos: Aldren Baguio, Jun Rey Tejero Misoles, and Rovelyn Acevido. The three have been arrested without warrants, while Campos was served a warrant of arrest five days after (March 11) her arrest.
"We arrived here in Plaridel only to be told that the arraignment was canceled. This is part of the slow justice system in the Philippines. To begin with, there should have been no case filed against us, yet here we are, being made to suffer. Time and resources of environmental organizations and human rights advocates are being wasted."
In Tarlac, a province deeply intertwined with agrarian struggle and historical resistance, Thomas Franco emerges as a voice among the new generation of activists. As the assistant vice president (AVP) for Luzon and regional coordinator of Kabataan Partylist, Franco embodies the resilience of youth organizing in Central Luzon.
“Tipak, Tibak na Danas” by Malaya Nicolas, a feminist writer and chairperson of Valenzuela Arts and Literary Society (VALS), is just one of the 20 zines under Bente-bente Zine’s (BBZ) Volume 3.
“We are alarmed by this invasion of our privacy and safety. This constitutes illegal surveillance and harassment, violating our rights. We are not engaged in any illegal activities; we are simply volunteering to address educational gaps in our communities."
“These attacks follow a familiar playbook—when powerful men feel threatened by factual reporting, they resort to gendered attacks to discredit women journalists.”
“It's time UST truly invests in its people,” USTFU President Emerito Gonzales said.
“This dismissal proves what we have always known: their accusations were built on lies, and their only goal was to weaken the resistance of the people. But they have failed.”
“I believe parents, me included, should always encourage young readers to read Filipino books in order to not get out of touch with our own identity as Filipinos. It’s good that they are also exposed to foreign shows and books but at the end of the day they are not our stories. They are not our experiences. Surrounding them with Filipino books is what will make them differentiate between our own stories and experiences versus that of others."
As part of Manila Bay, Bataan's proximity to the country's capital made it an appealing industrialization site, resulting in the reclamation of its rich marine coastlines which drew migrant fishers to the province.
“This long-awaited development marks a significant victory for the thousands of victims of Duterte’s bloody war on drugs and their families as well as the repression and brutal killings of activists and civilian communities, who have relentlessly fought for justice despite threats, intimidation, and state repression.”
“How can you lead if you don’t have supervision and control?”
