The Philippines’ Scourge of Killers on Motorbikes The riding-in-tandem attacks underscore the extent to which rule of law has been diminished by President Rodrigo Duterte’s incitement of killings of drug suspects By Carlos H. Conde On June 11, in the northern Philippine province of Nueva Ecija, Father Richmond Nilo of Zaragosa town was preparing Mass…
Rebalancing privatization: Keeping public services public by Rene Ofreneo The approval by the House of Representatives of House Bill 7437 prohibiting the privatization of government hospitals is a welcome development. As explained by the bill’s principal author, Angelina Tan, public health institutions “should remain public and should continue to serve the poor.” There are more…
Philippine Police Chief Halts Crime Suspect ‘Perp Walks’ Nod to Due Process Underscores Wider Accountability Deficit in ‘Drug War’ By Carlos H. Conde The Philippine National Police (PNP) did something extraordinary this week: It took action to protect the rights of criminal suspects. On Monday, PNP chief Oscar Albayalde declared that the police will stop…
Duterte administration, worst and harshest to workers’ rights- CTUHR Labor rights NGO Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) affirms the recent report of International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) which ranked the Philippines as among the 10 worst countries for workers’ rights. “The ITUC Global Rights Index 2018 report re-validates CTUHR own findings that…
Priest killings, hindi dapat ipagkibit-balikat ni Reyn Letran Ito ang panawagan sa mga mamamayan ni Diocese of San Jose, Nueva Ecija Bishop Roberto Mallari kasunod ng marahas na pagkamatay ni Fr. Richmond Nilo ng Diocese of Cabanatuan matapos na barilin ng hindi pa nakikilalang salarin noong linggo sa kapilya ng Nuestra Señora de la Nieve…
The Coal Death March: Limay, Bataan’s Case for Climate Justice by Beatrice Tulagan, ClimateStories.ph Once upon a time, there was a fifty-seven-year-old grandmother with kind eyes. She was loved dearly in her community for leading the charge against a coal stockpile in her neighborhood. In her spare time, she manned her family’s karaoke bar and…
Philippine City Passes Law Against LGBT Discrimination Ordinance Should Prod Passage of National Anti-Discrimination Legislation By Carlos H. Conde The Philippine city of Mandaluyong has approved an ordinance to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from discrimination, the latest in a slew of local laws passed across the country. Mandaluyong’s anti-discrimination…
Philippine Police Promotions an Affront to ‘Drug War’ Victims Newly Upgraded Police Chiefs Oversaw Units Implicated in Scores of Killings By Carlos H Conde Mourners display a streamer during a funeral march for Kian delos Santos, a 17-year-old student who was shot during anti-drug operations in Caloocan, Metro Manila, Philippines August 26, 2017. © 2017…
Climate justice group calls Duterte a two-faced hypocrite Quezon City—Climate justice group slams President Rodrigo Duterte for spearheading an inauguration of a 420-MW Pagbilao Energy Corporation (PEC) coal plant in Pagbilao, Quezon last May 31, 2018. In his speech, Pres. Duterte lauded the private sector for its active participation in the government’s goal to empower…
Judicial independence in Philippines is under threat, says UN human rights expert GENEVA (1 June 2018) – A UN human rights expert has expressed grave concerns about public threats issued against the Philippines’ Chief Justice by the country’s President, saying her dismissal, that followed those threats, is sending a chilling message to other supreme court…
South Korea’s Blind Eye to Philippine ‘Drug War’ Abuses Assistance for Police Disregards Role in Summary Killings By Phelim Kine You would think that the kidnapping and murder in 2016 of a South Koreanbusinessman by a Philippine National Police (PNP) anti-drug squad would put the brakes on South Korean government support for the PNP. Think…
Teachers demand salary hike and other benefits “We are ready for the resumption of classes today and we are as excited as our students who anticipate that we will provide their learning needs today and the rest of the school year. However, we are still asking the DepEd and the entire government to provide the…
Duterte Threatens Summary Execution of Drug Suspects. Again. Philippine President Warns Cebu Detainees to ‘Stay in Jail’ By Deputy Director, Asia Division Human Rights Watch @PhelimKine Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has issued a fresh reminder as to why his murderous “drug war” has earned United Nations and International Criminal Court scrutiny. Duterte issued a televised…
Philippine AIDS Bill Silent on Condom Promotion Stronger Official Action Needed to Combat Asia-Pacific’s Fastest Growing HIV Epidemic By Carlos H. Conde Researcher, Asia Division Human Rights Watch @condeHRW The Philippine Senate passed a bill on Monday that would amend the country’s 20-year-old AIDS law, and which promises to improve the government’s response to the…
ADB Projects in Shrinking Democratic Spaces The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Philippines have been working together since five decades ago, with the headquarters of the Bank given a home in Manila. Today, the ADB is one of the largest official development assistance (ODA) partners of the Philippines. As of April 2018, the Philippines…
New Philippine Prison Chief Threatens Killings of Jailed ‘Drug Lords’ Dela Rosa Already Linked to Alleged Crimes Against Humanity By Phelim Kine Deputy Asia Director Human Rights Watch The Philippines’ new Bureau of Corrections Director Ronald Dela Rosa has a killer attitude toward his new job. Literally. Dela Rosa, who retired last month as director…
Netflix’ Philippine ‘drug war’ propagandist By PHELIM KINE Deputy Asia Director Human Rights Watch http://www.atimes.com/netflix-philippine-drug-war-propagandist/ The new Netflix drama series Amo, inspired by the Philippine government’s real-life “war on drugs,” presents a sinister revisionist take on an ongoing human-rights calamity. Amo’s Filipino director, Brillante Mendoza, has described the 13-episode miniseries, which began streaming last month,…
HRonlinePH and Front Line Defenders Front Line Defenders annual publication about the significant challenges confronting human rights defenders (HRDs) and our efforts to provide the protection and support they so critically need, as well as the Annual Report on Human Rights Defenders at Risk in 2017, which documents hundreds of physical, legal, and social attacks…
Speak Truth to Power, Keep Power in Check 03 May 2018 RODRIGO R. Duterte’s presidency has altered and controlled the public discourse so radically in its favor in ways rude and bold. Its tragic result: it has restricted and narrowed the celebrated freedom of the Philippine press and the people’s cherished right to know. In…
Relentless Assault on the Philippine Press Legal Restrictions, Intimidation Seek to Suppress Criticism By Carlos H. Conde Researcher, Asia Division @condeHRW Filipino journalists will spend World Press Freedom Day on May 3 under government attack. New draft regulations issued by the Philippine House of Representatives would allow Congress to ban reporters who “besmirch” the reputation…
