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Citing the unpaid estate taxes of the Marcoses, martial law victims said the family of the late dictator continues to rob the people.
“We should not allow Duterte and NTF-ELCAC to use red-tagging as a political weapon to divide the opposition. We should push back against the escalating attacks against Robredo and the political opposition."
“These are not isolated incidents,” said Charm Maranan, Defend ST spokesperson. “These are coordinated attacks by the Philippine National Police, by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict to disenfranchise the people from their legitimate demands.”
“Is this really the mindset of the armed state agents, that they will just shoot the non-combatants? Not only shooting to disable them but shooting to kill them." - forensic expert Raquel Fortun
“This string of dismissals shows Judge Villavert’s notorious and baseless issuances of search warrants. She has clearly turned her court into a factory of bogus search warrants which has led to the illegal arrest of at least 76 activists, human rights defenders, peace advocates, peasant leaders, and journalists."
“Judges like Judge Dela Rosa — who use their courts and powers for judicial harassment and political persecution — should instead be investigated and held to account for their complicity in these killings and human rights violations and this murderous regime’s campaign of State terror."
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said that the court's findings "only prove how State forces are hell-bent at quelling the exercise of labor rights being promoted by trade union organizers such as Dennise Velasco as well as activists in general.”
Friends and colleagues of the victims of New Bataan massacre, or the New Bataan 5, gathered on Sunday, March 6 in UP Diliman to celebrate their life and call for justice.
To carry that weight is to carry on the struggles our comrades left behind. It is to continue the shared struggle that binds us despite our grief and loss, because what we carry is more than our individual wants but the hopes of the Filipino masses – the same hopes that so many of us have paid the ultimate price in order to make it a reality.
Apart from supporting the ICC probe, families of tokhang victims say it's also important for the country’s next leaders to have concrete plans and programs for the victims of President Duterte’s drug war. Their plight and search for justice must be acknowledged at the very least.
“Let us hold accountable those in power who disregard due process and violate the right to life."
“We hope for a quick resolution of the case so that Doctor Naty will be set free."
Antonio La Viña, counsel for indigenous peoples, said the ATA, if not declared as unconstitutional, has deadly consequences. He cited the case of Chad Booc, volunteer teacher for Lumad schools and a petitioner against the ATA. He said that Booc, whom he knew personally, was constantly targeted by state forces, tagged as a member of “a terrorist group” until he was killed.
The bodies of three of the five victims in the New Bataan massacre were finally released to their families, according to Save our Schools Network.
Ephraim Cortez, secretary general of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL), said that "the arrest is illegal since the warrant had already lost its force and effect."
“Throughout their years of service, Chad, Jurain, and Elgyn had been subjected to threats, harassment, intimidation, including death threats, red-tagging and terror-tagging, and surveillance. It is then even more deplorable that the people who take up the initiative to serve in far-flung communities, where the Duterte government cares little to address the needs of its residents, are targeted and killed,” SOS Network said.
Dubbed as Artista. Laban. Bayan, CAP’s effort to look back on the contributions of artists is a continuing commemoration of the 36th year since Filipinos toppled a dictator.
As another Marcos threatens to return to power, hundreds of millions in ill-gotten wealth have yet to be returned to the Filipino people.
“He must be immediately afforded legal representation. We enjoin all democratic forces to close ranks and raise the demand for Ka Esteban to be immediately released."
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