NAKPhilippines calls upon the defenders of the law and the security sector to observe the rule of law and uphold human rights

Reaction by NAKPhilippines to President Duterte’s statement blaming human rights advocates if the drug problem worsens and, as such, should also be targetted in his war on drugs:

“NAKPhilippines is appalled that President Duterte would even think of human rights activists as the enemy. His comment — that human rights is part of the drug problem and, as such, human rights advocates should be targetted too — can be interpreted as a declaration of an open season on human rights defenders. We condemn it in the strongest term possible.

Considering the alarming rate of summary and extrajudicial killings, we take this threat very seriously especially that it is issued by no less than the President himself. We appeal to President Duterte to revoke this statement so as not to give police officers and the death squads out there the wrong impression that, in the war on drugs, human rights are also targetted. Human rights activists are not the enemy.

NAKPhilippines calls upon the defenders of the law and the security sector to observe the rule of law and uphold human rights.”

— NAKPhilippines (Network Against Killings in the Philippines)

NAKPhilippines is an independent, non-partisan and broad alliance of various individuals, NGOs and civil society organizations concerned about human rights, civil liberties and rule of law in the Philippines. For more on NAKPhilippines, visit Facebook.com/nakphilippines

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