Philippine human rights advocates ask int”l community to help stop killings

Filipino human rights advocates have asked the international community to help stop extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations in the country, a Facebook post by the Philippine Universal Periodic Review Watch said.

At a side event to the United Nations Human Rights Council meetings in Geneva, the Philippine UPR Watch pointed out that there were 227 killings related to the war on drugs under the Marcos administration.

It said this was proof that “state-sponsored” killings have yet to stop.

“I have been here the first time during the 7th session (of the UN Human Rights Council) and now it is the 52nd. We don’t want to come back here. We don’t want to come back again and again and again,” said Atty. Edre Olalia, one of the leaders of the Philippine UPR Watch.

“[The killings] must stop. Whatever the administration, it must stop,” he added in his closing statement.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Malaca?ang and will publish its side as soon as it is available.

Human rights campaigner and Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said domestic redress mechanisms remained ineffective in delivering justice and accountability.

She called on the states and international NGOs to continue to monitor the Philippine government’s actions on the UPR recommendations.

“There are no accountability benchmarks and tools in the implementation of the UNJP, the joint program may not be the most responsive mechanism for the delivery of justice and accountability,” Palabay said.

National Council of Churches in the Philippines for Faith, Witness and Service program secretary Mervin Sol Toquero mentioned the weaponization of laws like the Anti-Terrorism Act, in the context of the government’s all-out war or counter insurgency program, instead of addressing the roots of the conflict.

“Also as a member of the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform, I am also asking for your support for our call for the resumption of the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines,” Toquero said. –NB, GMA Integrated News