Human Rights

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang disputed Saturday United Nations special rapporteur Philip Alston’s claim that the administration had failed to institutionalize the reforms needed to put a stop to extrajudicial killings, and suggested that Alston may have been influenced by leftist propaganda.

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo yesterday said the P25-million fund she put up for reward to solve political and media killings could help reduce possible election-related violence leading to the national and local elections next year.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) yesterday asked Malacañang to instead use the proposed P25-million informants’ reward for the improvement of the country’s law enforcement, judicial system and witness protection program to end extra-judicial killings.

The Commission on Human Rights said Thursday that it was unsure about efficacy of the P25-million reward fund to counter political killings, even as a Cabinet member argued that money was a good incentive.

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine National Police (PNP) plans to offer a P3.235-million bounty for the arrest of 19 suspects in the killing of several militant leaders across the country, a police spokesman said on Thursday.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has put up a P15-million reward for the arrest of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) chairman Jose Maria Sison and New People’s Army (NPA) spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal.

Lawmakers yesterday slammed President Arroyo for putting up a P25-million bounty that she said was needed to end the spate of political killings in the country, saying that dangling such “bribe” only manifested her apparent inability to govern and to resolve issues involving political violence.

The indigenous people under the banner of Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) held a picket rally at the gate of Camp Aguinaldo to condemn the recent extrajudicial killings against the indigenous people.

SEVERAL House members on Wednesday immediately responded to a Palace directive for them to contribute a portion of their Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) to a reward system that the President hopes would end political killings in the country.

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo announced yesterday the establishment of a P25-million fund to pay informants in a bid to end the wave of political killings in the country.

The Arroyo administration failed to convince the United Nations (UN) that it is doing its utmost to stop torture and protect the human rights of its citizen as the world body concludes a conference to assess the progress of its members in observing provisions to protect human rights, primarily commitments against the use of physical…

The United Nations (UN) reiterated yesterday the Arroyo administration’s lack of commitment to uphold human rights despite the insistence of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who represented the government in the UN meeting at Geneva, that President Arroyo remained committed to the ideals and vision of the UN’s Universal Declaration on Human Rights of attaining “dignity…

MANILA, Philippines – People complaining of torture in the country have brought their case before a United Nations body in Geneva, Switzerland even as the Philippine government faces a review of its compliance with the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment and Punishment by the international human rights panel.

Local officials and community leaders have expressed alarm over a sudden increase in crime incidence and other illegal activities in Davao City which until recently was described as “the most livable city” in the country until the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) painted a different picture.

MANILA, Philippines – The local chapter of London-based human rights watchdog Amnesty International staged a rally in Quezon City and Manila yesterday to urge the government to correct the “desperate situation” of witness protection in the Philippines.

First of two parts Traditionally, it was the petty criminals who fall in the hands of the so-called “Davao Death Squad,” a vigilante-style motorcycle-riding group that is believed to have been organized in the mid-90s to cleanse the city of crime.

An international human rights group yesterday accused the mayor of Davao City of giving “tacit support” to death squads behind the killing of 800 people over the past decade. New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte “continues to deny the undeniable” by refusing to investigate the killings. “The words and…

Int’l watchdog says crime rate increasing faster than population   AN international human rights watchdog on Tuesday directly linked the Davao City killings to police and local officials saying that these officials are providing the training and armaments needed by the Davao Death Squad.

In a bid to hasten the solution of murders cases involving journalists, politicians and activists, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Verzosa yesterday ordered the activation of the PNP Task Force Usig’s regional units.

MANILA, Philippines – The Municipal Trial Court in Rosario, Cavite has ordered the arrest of 33 militant leaders for charges of grave coercion, including direct assault upon agents or persons in authority, according to Merly Grafe, chairperson of the Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW).

Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. has urged the Arroyo administration to take appropriate measures needed for the early resolution of and to improve conviction rate of unsolved murder cases involving media people.

SAN ESTEBAN, Ilocos Sur , Philippines  – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in the Ilocos region is finally building up a case on the killing of an activist here four years ago.

KORONADAL CITY , Philippines  – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Central Mindanao has started its investigation into the killing of a militant leader and environmental activist here last March 9.

Rep. Casiño stresses need for a wider investigation of extrajudicial killings in the country

COMMISSION on Human Rights (CHR) Chairperson Leila de Lima on Monday slammed the local government of Davao City for failing to address the unabated string of vigilante killings since 1998 in the city.

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo has ordered the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to cooperate and give their full support to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in its probe of unexplained killings in Davao City.

MANILA, Philippines – Four party-list lawmakers accused of being involved in the killings of three former rebels in Nueva Ecija have sought relief from the Supreme Court (SC) in the cases that they believe are part of their political persecution under the administration of President Arroyo.

Varying and longstanding traditions, cultures and religions hobble member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in looking at human rights as a major issue in governance, Philippine Ambassador Rosario Manalo said Friday.

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo yesterday ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to bring political and media killings down to zero amid fresh criticisms on the country’s human rights situation.

CPJ report, threats to broadcaster spur action MANILA, Philippines—Heavily criticized over a number of unresolved political killings since she came to power, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Thursday gave an explicit order to the Philippine National Police: Stop the killing of journalists.