Stop extra-judicial killings in the Philippines

Statement of European Church and Civil Society Organisations We are concerned about the upsurge of politically motivated killings and the constant deterioration of the human rights situation in the Philippines in recent years. Amnesty International informs that at least 51 political killings took place in the first half of 2006, compared to the 66 killings […]

A prominent critic of the wave of extrajudicial killings that have swept the Philippines under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has himself become a victim of these killings. Bishop Alberto Ramento of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), or Philippine Independent Church, was awakened and killed in his room at about 4:00 a.m. on October […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned by reports emanating from the Philippines concerning alleged attempts to provide one of the most notorious members of the armed forces of the Philippines, Major General Jovito Palparan Jr., with de facto immunity from questioning with regard to investigations into widespread extra-judicial killings. Palparan has reportedly […]

[NOTICE: The AHRC have developed a new automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. However, in this appeal, we could not include e-mail addresses of some of the Philippine authorities. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to those people. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Philippine authorities are […]

PHILIPPINES: Extra-judicial killings; illegal arrests and detention; forced abduction and disappearance; inadequate police investigation; a need for impartial investigation; witness protection; attacks against indigenous people’s group; violence against women ————————————- Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you of further attacks against activists in separate incidents in the Philippines. Since […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that three more activists have been killed in separate incidents in the Philippines on August 20, 22 and 24. According to information received from various sources on August 20, peasant leader Hermelino Marqueza was killed in his house in Tandag, Surigao del […]

An announcement by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that she is appointing a high level Commission of Inquiry to probe into the extrajudicial killings was exposed as a hoax within just a few days of the announcement and even one of the nominated commissioners, a catholic bishop, publicly announced that he would not be party to […]

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has announced the proposal for the appointment of a high level commission to investigate allegations of extrajudicial killings, as well as to supervise the actual investigations carried out by Task Force Usig.  This announcement comes as there is mounting pressure from within the Philippines as well as internationally against the government […]

The Amnesty International report on the political killings, human rights violations and peace process in the Philippines published in August 2006 points to the need for the political will to investigate and stop political killings and the legacy of impunity in the country:   “Unearthing the evidence establishing responsibility for the current pattern of political […]

The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) condemns the continuing killings, attacks, harassment and threats on members of the .  Since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo came to power in 2001, twenty-five lawyers, including ten judges, have been killed.  This extreme and outrageous violence against members of the legal profession has especially targeted those lawyers serving the poor […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission is writing to condemn the continuing spree of extra-judicial killings that are plaguing the Philippines at present. Estimates from various sources indicate that over 700 such killings of political activists, journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders and members of the clergy have been perpetrated since 2001. It appears that, despite rising […]

PHILIPPINES: Extra-judicial executions; violence against activists and their families; absence of protection for activists facing threats; inadequate police investigation; complete collapse of rule of law ————————————- PETITION – PETITION – PETITION – PETITION STOP EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS IN THE PHILIPPINES http://www.pinoyhr.net/ ———————————————————————- Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that […]

The following story about Fr. Terry, a Pastor in Pangasinan, shows how extrajudicial killings and other forms of violence and harm are planned and, more often than not, carried out in the Philippines against individuals who try to engage in community activities for the benefit of the people.   It is this type of planning […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the alleged surveillance and intimidation of a pastor, Rev. Fr. Eleuterio “Terry” J. Revollido, Chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan – BAYAN (New Patriotic  Alliance) in Pangasinan province, the Philippines. His organisation has been working for marginalised sectors of society in the area and […]

The president of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo made her State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the 3rd Regular Session of the 13th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines.  Except for mentioning her condemnation of political killings in the harshest possible terms and urging the witnesses to come forward, and mentioning that together we […]

The Philippine National Police have a unique definition of the word “solved”. According to them, once a charge is filed against a suspect with the Office of the Prosecutor it is solved. Suspects not arrested? No matter, it is solved. Investigation flawed? No matter, it is solved. Requests of victim’s family for more inquiries unanswered? […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of the disappearance of two student activists and a peasant on June 26, 2006. The victims Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño were staying at a house in Purok 6, Barangay (village) San Miguel, Hagonoy when armed men believed to be military forcibly took […]

[RE: UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred… UP-77-2005: THAILAND: Department of Special Investigation fails to bring justice to Charoen Wat-aksorn case… UA-112-2005: THAILAND: Murder of Thai monk following an environmental and land dispute with local influential business figures… UP-135-2006: THAILAND: Petition to be […]

PHILIPPINES: Threats against human rights and political activists; inaction by authorities to ensure their security and protection; inadequate police investigation; violence against women; complete collapse of rule of law —————————————————— Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern regarding the safety of another four activists who have received threats from unknown […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to congratulate you on your appointment as the new chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on 5 July 2006. On the occasion of your appointment, the AHRC wishes to suggest to you that your top priority as police chief must be to address the unabated killings of […]