MARCOS BURIAL A BETRAYAL OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE – iDEFEND

Written on 18 November 2019. Posted in Statements

Quezon City- Human Rights defenders, members and network of In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND) and the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) held a “PROTESTART” this afternoon to condemn the burial of the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) on this date three years ago.

Rose Trajano, Secretary General of PAHRA and Convenor of iDEFEND said the “continuing impunity of the martial law atrocities is epitomized by this Marcos burial at the LNMB, and perpetuated by the successive dismissal of cases against the Marcos family. Despite the human rights claims awarded to thousands of victims of martial law, the Marcos family refused to acknowledge the atrocities on the Filipino people.”

Continue Reading

ASSERT THE RIGHT TO DEFEND HUMAN RIGHTS

Written on 09 November 2019. Posted in Statements

The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) and In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND) condemn the recent raids of people’s organizations in Negros and in Manila as well as arrests of activists, as preventive actions against people’s dissent, as government policies continue to result in economic crises, social unrest, unmitigated disasters and political scandals.

These assaults on legitimate organizations are in pursuit of executive issuances and policy directives aimed at shrinking democratic spaces and political activism in the Philippines, in furtherance of President Duterte’s authoritarian ambitions to secure full dictatorship by his term’s end. Diminishing civic spaces, resources and opportunities suppress these organizations from freely exercising the right to assembly, association and expression.

Continue Reading

Philippine human rights defenders alarmed at developments in Jammu and Kashmir

Written on 14 August 2019. Posted in Statements

The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) and In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND) express serious concerns over alarming developments in the India-occupied region of Jammu and Kashmir. This month India’s government has repealed the Constitutional provision providing special status to Jammu and Kashmir amidst media and communications blockade and the deployment of more than 30,000 paramilitary troops. On the ground reports of arbitrary detention and house arrest of more than 500 human rights defenders have also jeopardized fundamental civil liberties and the freedom of expression.

Continue Reading

PAGBABAGO NI DUTERTE: KARAHASAN, KAHIRAPAN, KATRAYDORAN SA BAYAN, PANAGUTIN!

Written on 22 July 2019. Posted in Statements

Tatlong taong nagdaan, sanlaksang kasalanan ng gobyernong Duterte sa taumbayan.

Inilunsad ang giyera kontra droga noong Hulyo 2016 bilang pangunahing programa ng gobyernong Duterte, alinsunod sa pangako niyang sugpuin ang illegal na kalakalan sa droga. Ang madugong kampanya ang pumaslang sa higit 27,000 Pilipino kabilang na ang higit 100 kabataan at mga sanggol, na tinagurian niyang “collateral damage”. Pinatunayan ng isang survey na karamihan ng mga Pilipino ay ayaw sa nagaganap na patayan bagama’t sang- ayon silang giyerahin ang illegal na kalakalan ng droga. Nagsunud sunod naman ang panunupil sa mamamayang nagprotesta at kumondena sa malawakang extrajudicial killing, gayundin laban sa malayang pamamahayag. Umalagwa ang pamamaslang sa mga human rights defenders, mga kritiko at oposisyon.  Iniulat ni Representative Edcel Lagman na 134 tagapagtanggol ng karapatang pantao ang pinaslang mula nang maupo si Duterte sa puwesto. Samantala patuloy ang pamamayagpag ng malalaking drug lords at pagpasok ng droga sa bansa. At si Duterte na mismo ang umaming lumalaki pa ang bilang ng nalululong dito. Dahil sa pananalasa ni Duterte sa karapatang pantao nasadlak sa pagsisiyasat ng International Criminal Court at United Nations Human Rights Council ang Pilipinas.

Continue Reading