“We are ready to submit reports. We have all the fact sheets that you can think of, affidavits, and fact-finding reports. But it is best if they can speak to the victims and their relatives of rights abuses themselves.”
Mervin Toquero of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) said that barring entry of UN investigators into the country would only prove that “this administration is hiding something.”
During the 41st session of the UN HRC in Geneva, Switzerland, 18 countries voted in favor of the resolution while 14 voted against. Fifteen member-states abstained from voting.
“The Union seeks to be militante, progresibo, and makabayan to serve better its constituents yet this is dangerous, subversive, and inimical to the state in the eyes of the PNP hierarchy.”
It should be pointed out that these organizations are being targeted for the invaluable work they do – the defense of human rights of the poor and marginalized.
“To say that there is no evidence of killings, disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and all attacks is mere parroting of the respondents’ line. It is as if the CA is acknowledging the attacks but absolving the government’s role in all of it.”
“We will hold accountable all those who committed these grave human rights violations against the farmers and the people.”
Under the Duterte administration, 66 farmers and activists have already been gunned down.
How could he muster the courage to continue speaking the truth against the mighty China when the betrayal came from the country’s highest seat of power?
Cristina Palabay,secretary general of Karapatan, said, “We have not been given the chance to be heard.”
