Karapatan strongly condemns the illegal arrest of another peace consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) on the evening March 20, 2019. Peace consultant Renante Gamara and his companion, Arturo Balagat, a former priest, were reportedly arrested by combined elements of the Special Action Force (SAF) and the Philippine Army. They were…
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemns the harassment being perpetrated by Gumaca Quezon Mayor Erwin Caralian and his brother, Vice Mayor El Chor Caralian against Radyo Natin Gumaca. Radyo Natin Operations Manager Mitch Hernando complains that despite having complied with all the necessary papers, the station is being denied renewal of the…
Women human rights defenders Nanette Castillo and Jimmylisa Badayos expressed support for human rights defenders of Karapatan and other rights groups, and called for an end to the attacks against human rights organizations. Castillo lost her son to Duterte’s drug war campaign and has since worked alongside Rise Up for Life and Rights, an organization…
President Rodrigo Duterte dissolved the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) Negotiating Panel with the Left led by Department of Labor and Employment secretary Silvestre H. Bello III. Along with Bello, panel members Hernani Braganza, Atty. Angela Librado-Trinidad, Atty. Rene Sarmiento and Atty. Antonio Arellano were terminated as of Monday, March 18. In…
Political prisoners in Camp Bagong Diwa, including three organizers of the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), expressed their support for Karapatan and other human rights and people’s organizations who remain critical against the anti-people policies and campaigns of the Duterte government. The political detainees have weighed in on the issue…
Two of the men who allegedly tailed the delegation of international lawyers while they were in Manila on March 18. (Photo courtesy of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers) MANILA — Delegates of an international mission that investigated the attacks on Filipino lawyers and the legal profession experienced firsthand how it was to be tailed…
HANDS OFF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS! ICHRP-US Expresses Solidarity with Karapatan, Ibon, and Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, Amidst Attacks The United States Chapter of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP-US) denounces the vilification of human rights organizations and human rights defenders in the Philippines. In the last week alone, in addition…
“We strongly condemn the killing of yet another minor, a 15-year-old student at a community school in Mindanao, the killing of a former Bayan Muna coordinator in Borongan City, and the killing of another farmer in Bulacan days later. It must be emphasized that these killings are not isolated, but a systematic attack against indigenous…