Filipino delegations to UN rights council session to expose continuing violations in the PH

MANILA – Amid the appeal of former president Rodrigo Duterte for interim release, Filipino human rights defenders will amplify calls for justice for war on drugs victims and to expose continuing violations in the Philippines.

Philippine Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Watch and #FightToExpress delegates are in Geneva, Switzerland for the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), “to bring to the attention of the international community the continuing fight for justice of families of victims of extrajudicial killings and the ‘war on drugs.’”

Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay, co-head of the Philippine UPR Watch, said “The world must know that we are opposing Duterte’s interim release, and that we continue to remain vigilant and critical of the current Marcos administration’s crimes.”

If Duterte’s motion for interim release by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is granted, Palabay said, it would be very dangerous for the families of victims, and would further escalate the political tension in the Philippines.

She added that the families of the victims as well as their lawyers have been harassed and threatened online by Duterte’s trolls and supporters.

Palabay also cited the remanding of the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte by the allies of the Dutertes in the Senate as a reason to oppose the interim release of the former president.

“It is clear that the Dutertes have been unleashing their influence to frustrate all attempts of victims and their families to seek justice and accountability,” Mervin Toquero, National Council of Churches of the Philippines (NCCP) deputy secretary general and co-head of the Philippine UPR Watch, said.

The impeachment complaint against the vice president also cited her involvement in the drug-related killings in Davao during her term as mayor.

She was implicated by SPO4 Arturo Lascanas, former leader of the so-called Davao Death Squad who has been admitted as a witness under protection by the ICC.

The Philippine UPR Watch is composed of human rights groups that monitor the Philippine government’s compliance with UN bodies’ recommendations since 2007.

The #FightToExpress network meanwhile has engaged the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion Irene Khan since her official mission to the Philippines in early 2024.

The Philippine UPR Watch and #FightToExpress network representatives will also witness the presentation of reports by Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, Morris Tidball-Binz, and by Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion, Irene Khan.

Aside from Karapatan and the NCCP, UPR Watch’s delegation includes The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, IBON Foundation, the Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, Defend Southern Tagalog, and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

The #FightToExpress network is represented by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines. (RBV)

Disclosure: Ronalyn Olea of the #FightToExpress network Bulatlat’s the editor-in-chief.

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