No let-up on the quest for justice

Last month, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla led the government delegation during the fifth periodic review of the Philippines by the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva, Switzerland. The result was just as expected. On Nov. 4, the UN Human Rights Committee released its concluding observations, calling out the Philippine government on its woeful human rights record. No amount of whitewashing and platitudes can convince the world it is doing enough.

Specifically, the UN committee said the Philippine government “should investigate and prosecute in a timely manner all cases of past human rights violations and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice…” It added that the government “should review and amend the Anti-Terrorism Act” as it violates international covenants that were ratified by the Philippine government. The committee is very clear—the Philippine government should put an end to Red-tagging, as it further exposes activists, human rights defenders, and individuals to death threats, intimidation, attacks, arbitrary arrests, and detention, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.

Should the Marcos Jr. administration send a delegation on Nov. 14 when the United Nations Human Rights Council convenes for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Philippines, it must expect these damning observations to be presented again. It must realize that nothing short of an honest admission of the human rights situation in the Philippines would make this government believable in the eyes of the world. And if the Philippine government wishes respect, it must sincerely promise to stop human rights violations and prosecute past perpetrators.

The Philippine UPR Watch will participate in this important international process. We will be there to urge United Nations Human Rights Council member states to compel the Philippine government to stop the killings, and to stop the harassment and threats.

Our delegation is composed of lawyers, church workers, environmentalists, health professional, indigenous peoples groups, journalists, activists and families of victims of extrajudicial killings and unjust arrests.

We are not letting up on the quest to hold the Philippine government accountable for its transgressions on people’s rights, past and present.

Philippine UPR Watch