Runners, bikers stage fun run vs rights abuses, killings

About a hundred runners and bikers call on the government to respect human rights and stop the killings. Contributed photo by Gelo Tolentino

About a hundred runners and bikers ran and rode on bikes in Pasay City on Saturday morning to promote the respect for human rights and call for an end to stop the killings and other abuses.

In a fun run dubbed as “Takbo para sa buhay at karapatan,” members of Kilusang Artikulo Trese (Movement for Article 13) ran for six kilometers from the Cultural Center of the Philippines to Baclaran Church in Pasay City to highlight the deteriorating human rights situation in the country and the need for the public to promote respect for human rights.

Marylou Bertolano, 57, joined the fun run to denounce the killings linked to the government’s deadly crackdown against illegal drugs.

“‘Di naman pwede we just keep our mouth shut,” Bertolano said when asked why she took part in the fun run.

(We cannot just keep our mouth shut.)

Individuals from different sectors, including labor, women, youth, religious, and urban poor took part in the activity.

The group, led by the Redemptorist priests, initiated the event in time for the International Human Rights Day on December 10.

A.13 is a recently-formed movement of individuals against the rampant killings and human rights abuses. Its name refers to Article XIII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution entitled “Social Justice and Human Rights.”/au