Int’l rights group protests violations, to meet in Davao

OVER 160 delegates preparing for an international conference on human rights in the home city of President Duterte have warned of continuing militarization and rights violations in the country.

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines and its partners are convening the International Conference for Peoples’ Rights in the Philippines (ICPRP), the first ever global rights meet in the country under the Duterte administration, on July 23 and 24 in Davao City.

“The delegates are currently spread out to 10 hot spots in the country to see for themselves the ongoing development of aggression and the continuing militarization in villages and communities,” ICPRP spokesperson Aglipayan Bishop Felixberto Calang said in a statement.

The global activists have condemned the recent assassination of a lumad school leader and wounding of a tribal chief in Davao City.

“It is unfortunate the political killings continue right inside Davao. President Duterte should act on this and other rights violations in the country,” Calang said.

Karapatan-Southern Mindanao has reported that motorcycle-riding gunmen killed Hermie Alegre and critically wounded Danny Diarog in Sitio Kahusayan, Davao City, at around 2 p.m. on Friday. They were on their way home from a meeting with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.