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“There is no legal basis to hold them any second longer and they should be freed forthwith and if restrained illegally, can walk away from their custodians.”
“Ang totoo po ay dinukot kami ng militar. Napilitan din kami na sumurender dahil pinagbantaan ang buhay namin. Iyon po ang totoo,” Castro said. (The truth is, we were abducted by the military. We were forced to surrender because they threatened our lives. That is the truth.)
Jpeg Garcia’s advocacy for peace based on social justice made him a target of state forces, his fellow human rights defenders in the Southern Tagalog region said.
"We strongly condemn this heartless attack against our sister in the profession. We staunchly urge government authorities to act swiftly in the apprehension of the perpetrators."
Those who saw the incident said that the Innova vehicle stopped beside the two women who were then walking. Both struggled while they were taken inside the vehicle. “One of them managed to run away but was immediately dragged back to the vehicle. The other young woman tried to pry open or climb over the gate of one of the residents, but was also dragged back into the Innova vehicle,” the report read.
Atom Araullo has been at the center of a red-tagging spree since early 2022, targeting both him and his mother Carol, long-time activist and former chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.
Bayan ST asserted that the QCPD is “wasting funds” through its actions. Kyle Angelo Salgado pointed out that the QCPD “had a videoke session during the SONA protest, insulting the rights of citizens to peacefully protest while wasting people’s funds.” More recently, the QCPD also “gave platform to a gun-toting ex-cop through a press conference.”
hree residents of Guindawhan village in the town of Pio V. Corpus, Masbate were killed on Aug. 30 by soldiers belonging to the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, said the New People's Army - Masbate in a statement.
“Challenging this suit and condemning such action from the QCPD is necessary to keep the state’s armed forces from dictating how we practice our freedom of expression and set a precedent– especially for artworks that are anchored towards the current administration and the system."
Tanggol Batangan, a Batangas-based human rights group, reported the release of Jose Escobio and Junald Jabonero who were arrested last Aug. 24.
Two young environment activists were reported missing after researching on the massive flooding in Bulacan and the impact of reclamation on their livelihoods.
For Karapatan, this recent development is “obviously part of the NTF-ELCAC's so-called ‘whole of nation approach’ of harnessing all available resources to surveil, profile, red-tag, marginalize, persecute and inflict other human rights violations against the poor and other critical voices, including the institutional church.”
"We hold on with cast-iron certainty that God is with us. God's mission serves His most loved creatures who are on the margins of our society. Stand by us and let our God-given fighting spirit, talent and mission to serve the least of our sisters and brothers be offered back to God. We cannot but be faithful to our prophetic mission for God and His people."
Batangas-based human rights group Tanggol Batangan said that the detained individuals were Ernesto Baez Jr., farmer advocate and organizer of Samahan ng Magbubukid sa Batangas (Sambat), jeepney driver Jose Escobio, and his friend Junald Jabonero.
"The attempt of these former generals, to pursue judicial harassment against Karapatan, GABRIELA, and RMP through this trumped-up and malicious charges of perjury is a desperate act intended to hound human rights defenders."
"Our strength and determination mirror the struggles faced by numerous families across the nation who persistently seek answers regarding their missing loved ones."
“Amanda’s case is emblematic of a broader struggle against persecution. Her family, both on the Lacaba and Echanis sides, has a long history of activism and has faced harassment and detention. She was once the country’s youngest political prisoner with her parents in the 1990s."
“This does not only indicate the government’s dire lack of compassion for those imprisoned. [It is also] a clear violation of international human rights norms such as the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners or the Mandela Rule."
Karina Dela Cerna was only 19 years old when she was arrested along with her father Albert in a series of raids in Bacolod in 2019. They were consequently charged with trumped-up charges such as illegal possession of firearms and explosives and human trafficking.
"It is well established that an effigy is a form of art. It is not solid waste: it is not garbage or refuse."
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