Group denounces alleged human rights violations by Marcos gov’t

REMEMBER THE FALLEN Illustrations of slain anti-Marcos activists being prepared by the group Karapatan to form part of a cultural program in University of the Philippines to mark the 50th anniversary of Martial Law declaration. (File photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)

MANILA, Philippines —A coalition of human rights advocates has criticized what it describes as multiple instances of assault against human rights advocates in the Philippines.

In a statement released on Saturday, International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) Chairperson Peter Murphy stressed the critical role of solidarity in promoting “just and lasting peace.”

The coalition said peace, during the term of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., should be free from poverty, landlessness, state repression and injustices

“The devastating number of attacks that continue under the Marcos regime in the Philippines – the many disappearances, the forced surrenderees, and the killings of NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) peace consultants, are all violations of international humanitarian law done in the guise of US-designed counter-insurgency programs,” Murphy noted.

“The international community must oppose these,” he added.

ICHRP cited “extra-judicial killings, disappearances, and the intensifying suppression of civil liberties” as ongoing human rights and international humanitarian law violations happening in the state.

Also included in the alleged crimes are “the slanderous designation of respected leaders as terrorists via the Anti-Terror Act (ATA), and the relentless red-tagging of activists, progressive organizations, and solidarity activists via the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict,” ICHRP said.

The statement was given during a three-day conference held by ICHRP in Bangkok, Thailand from November 6 to 9.

It was attended by more than 100 human rights advocates from over 30 organizations across the globe.