Human rights in the Philippines
[5] Numerous sources had reported that torture was being practiced by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army,[11][12][13] police and other security forces.
Activism carried out by transnational organizations, which may be described as ‘participatory’, may solicit engagement from local actors, stakeholders, and poor members of communities and include them all in policymaking decisions.
According to Duraippah et al., ideal participation is reached when the principles of transparency and empowerment—through the education of transnational actors through local actors—emphasize the needs of Indigenous peoples.
[19] Social power illustrates the exclusion of Lumad people from political decisions, which in turn, perpetuates existing human rights issues.
[21] Lumad peoples rely on the natural resources on their ancestral lands for their livelihoods; they are therefore deprived of means to support themselves and their families when they are displaced or forced to evacuate.
[37] Its vision is as follows: The ILO Manila office has been active since its founding, starting with the ratifying of the Workman's Compensation (Accidents) Convention 17 based on Act.
KATRIBU is currently protesting DMCI's planned 15-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Narra, Palawan and the mining policy of the Aquino administration.
[48] Before the pandemic, Liyang Network held immersion trips alongside Sabokahan in administering opportunities to educate and provide a transformative cultural experience to those who wish to engage in the history of the community directly from the voices of the Lumad people.
These activities aim to address and amplify the push against human rights violations, exploitation, and discrimination, such as the militarization of communities, the closure of Indigenous schools, and illegal arrests.
[50] After the declaration of Martial Law, Marcos issued six general orders and an instruction to close privately owned media facilities.
The Press Secretary, Francisco Tatad, and Secretary for National Defense, Juan Ponce Enrile, were ordered by Marcos "to take over and control or cause the taking over and control of all such newspapers, magazines, radio and television facilities and all other media communications..."[52] The information released to the public was highly censored and prevented journalists from releasing any suspicious information about the administration.
It led to the abolition of Martial Law (de jure abolished in 1981[55]), the exile of the Marcos family, as well as Cory Aquino's rise to the presidency and the current 1987 Constitution.
[57] Many incidents of extrajudicial killings were linked to this report, most notable of which is Sichi Bustamante-Gandinao, who was a direct testimony of the abuses concerning the military.
Those killed included Mangudadatu's wife, his two sisters, journalists, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were witnesses or were mistakenly identified as part of the convoy.
She was also an outspoken critic of the actions the Citizens' Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU), and how they disrupt the relatively peaceful communities in Misamis Oriental.
[57][64] According to the Alston report, the presence of "vigilantism" and death squad in Davao has been a commonplace occurrence, and has been going on for some time now, prior to his visit in the Philippines from 2006 to 2007.
[65] When Duterte was first elected as mayor, he faced a Davao with problems like rampant youth gangs, the New Peoples' Army (NPA) killing policemen routinely, and crime.
[69] The Aquino administration implemented reforms towards more effective criminal investigation procedures, in addition to passing laws to better uphold human rights.
An example is the formation of the Inter-Agency Committee on Extra-Legal Killings, which encountered problems in identifying which case to pursue due to the process requirements.
Human Rights Watch found in an investigation that the police are falsifying evidence to justify the illegal killing of civilians.
They were protesting against an anti-terrorism bill, which will eliminate legal protection and police can detain groups and individuals without any warrant under the label of terrorism.
[71] On July 3, 2020, Amnesty International criticized the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte and said that the new law is the latest example of the country's ever-worsening human rights record.
Prior to her arrest, Tejero had been a victim of red-tagging, a stigmatization practice used by the authorities to target as "terrorists" or "communists" any individuals or groups perceived to be critical of the government.
"[75] Recognizing the danger to journalists, the president established the Presidential Task Force on Violations of the Right to Life, Liberty and Security of the Members of the Media in October 2016.
[76] On August 21, 2020, the United Nations raised concerns with the Philippine government over the killing of peace consultant Randall "Randy" Echanis and human rights defender Zara Alvarez.
The UN Human Rights Office described the situation as alarming since the two victims were previously tagged as terrorists because of their work, and called for transparent investigations.
The threats came a week after unidentified gunmen shot dead Zara Alvarez, a paralegal worker for the group, in Bacolod City in the central Philippines on August 17.
The United Nations noted the failure of law enforcement to address human rights violations and recommended that the Philippines review all killings in the government's drug war.
The significance of the UDHR as stated in its Preamble is: "Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge.
[98] The country is a party to the Geneva Conventions, which set standards for humanitarian conduct in times of war and local or international armed conflict.
