MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Wednesday blasted the environment and rights advocacy group Global Witness following its report that blamed the Duterte administration for the rise in the number of killings of environmental defenders in the country.
“The Palace considers the UK-based group Global Witness as a purveyor of falsity and a subservient machinery for political propaganda. There is nothing new (in) its sham assertion which mimics the recurring chants of the usual derogators of PRRD,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
In its report, Global Witness said the Philippines was the deadliest country in the world for environment defenders after it recorded 30 killings in 2018.
In 2016, 113 killings were recorded. “(President Duterte’s) aggressive rhetoric against defenders, coupled with the climate of violence and impunity fostered by his drugs war, has only made things worse,” senior Global Witness campaigner Ben Leather said. —Leila B. Salaverria