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“As the Duterte regime continuously intensifies its attacks, the killings and arbitrary arrests in Negros is setting a very dangerous precedence – that State forces can do whatever they want against poor peasants and communities, and brazenly promote tyranny and violence.”
he defense for Lisandro Claudio, PhD is an opportunistic reaction to a petition signed by 467 academics, artists and activists. The petition rightly argues that an academic who is engaged in tagging activist organizations as communist fronts is doing something unbecoming. It correctly articulates the global and local contexts in which such disposition is lamentable at the very least.
Dr. Claudio's commentary, accusing his colleagues as well as students and activists of being "commies" are hardly statements to be glibly made or easily dismissed. Within the context of increasing state repression and concomitantly the erosion of academic freedom on both sides of the Pacific, the targets of Dr. Claudio's work are put directly into the crosshairs of the Duterte and even the Trump regime. Dr. Claudio produces conditions of academic unfreedom for those he attacks.
NUPL President Edre Olalia pointed out that Duterte himself publicly threatened human rights defenders and all supposed communist fronts.
Let me ask fellow PMAers, the generals of the AFP and PNP mentioned above, what has happened to the PMA Honor Code of NOT TO LIE, NOT TO STEAL, NOT TO CHEAT nor TOLERATE THOSE WHO DO?
Members and supporters of senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares and Makabayan partylist groups received death threats, were harassed and labeled as communists and supporters of New People's Army (NPA). The Makabayan bloc has been critical of the Duterte administration.
MANILA -- Elements of Philippine National Police (PNP) were seen distributing copies of Pulis Serbis Balita, the official newsletter of the PNP, inside the Geronimo Elementary School, Sampaloc, Manila, according to Kontra Daya-Metro Manila. The banner story,...
"By deliberately using those photos with the status ‘Communist NPA CPP NDFP supporters’, the lives and security of those persons are placed in danger."
In early March, they instantly came out with vigorous denials, condemning the ramped-up red-tagging campaign waged against them, here and in Europe, by the Duterte government. To a considerable degree, the broad-ranged ripostes have blunted the vilification drive...
“Labeling, discrediting, threatening, and attacking lawyers are against the basic principles of lawyering, the State’s duty to protect them and the delivery of justice.”
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.”
Putting to work its National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, the Duterte government since last month has ramped up its red-tagging campaign against human rights defenders, militant people’s organizations and alliances, and left-leaning candidates...
"Such notorious lists have further endangered the already perilous situation of human rights defenders. We have repeatedly raised how these arbitrary and baseless accusations incite threats to the lives and security of named individuals, the worst of which is that they become victims of extrajudicial killings."
Two development workers arrested in Negros Occidental have been languishing in jail for over a month.
Aside from KMU-SMR, other regional chapters of the KMU have a standing complaint against the Republic of the Philippines with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in relation to military-instigated attacks on unions, unionists and workers.
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
“It’s not simply red tagging; the important aspect of it is it violates the freedom of expression, right to peaceful assembly and right to self determination among others. Such violation of these rights gives an impression that to resist or to dissent against tyranny, fight for genuine reform and to clamor for justice are wrong,” – Beverly Longid, Katribu Party-list.
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The Philippine military has been using the Lumads in a village in Compostela Valley Province as human shields as it pursues its campaign against the communist New People’s Army. By Marilou M. Aguirre davaotoday.com Posted by Bulatlat.com NABOC, Compostela Valley...
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