The National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL), counsel for Anakbayan, lambasted the NTF-ELCAC “for capitalizing on a familial conflict and turning it into a witch-hunt for members of Anakbayan and the Kabataan Partylist, which are legitimate organizations advancing the Filipino youth’s aspirations for national democracy.”
“The police and military have mastered the art of preparing false documents to justify the filing of fabricated charges.”
At least 40 lawyers have been killed under President Duterte alone according to the NUPL.
“We maintain that our petition is urgent amid the spate of intensified red-tagging, illegal arrests, and killings perpetrated against us by this government.”
“How many more lawyers and human rights defenders need to be killed, vilified, harassed, threatened and labelled before the dots are connected?”
“From Day 1, the respondents only issued general denials, resorting to technicalities instead of answering our petition.”
“The audacity in yakking against us to our extreme prejudice outside the courtroom could not be matched by any modicum of fortitude by at least showing up in court.”
While we will fight it out and still avail whatever remedy there is, we are inclined to affirm the view that courts in especially with those appointed by the current President and his allies are severely compromised. We are inclined to believe that even these so-called remedies for victims of human rights violations are discouraging and thus are rendered inutile.
Cristina Palabay,secretary general of Karapatan, said, “We have not been given the chance to be heard.”
NUPL President Edre Olalia pointed out that Duterte himself publicly threatened human rights defenders and all supposed communist fronts.
“We reiterate that activism and the full exercise of our civil and political rights is not a crime. While we continue with our everyday human rights work, we are also resolute in our commitment to see this through.”