Defend Coca-Cola Workers described the incident as a “clear case of harassment and anti-union practice”, calling it “shameful and infuriating” that Coca-Cola would “collude with the AFP and PNP to take advantage of the hunger, fear and struggle faced by many due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“It’s disheartening that while workers are uniting to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, towards just compensation, and against widespread lay-offs, NTF-ELCAC is hard at work oppressing workers’ rights.”
“Instead of providing aid especially to vulnerable communities, the soldiers of the 85th IB are overtly sowing terror through militarization.”
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy defended red tagging progressive organizations during a hearing on anti-terror bill at the House of Representatives.
Badoy echoes a national policy that espouses state-instigated violence against civilians. Portraying activists and journalists as “enemies of the state” justifies human rights abuses perpetrated by state agents. Badoy’s line is as dangerous as Duterte’s marching order to “kill, kill, kill.”
“Such attacks have no place in a democracy.”
“No one can deny its major contributions to Christian unity, the promotion of God’s word and the proclamation of God’s reign.”
“The Duterte administration is attacking IBON because our research, education and advocacy work exposes Philippine economic realities that the government wants to conceal.”
Paghimutad was formed after the Sagay 9 massacre in response to the growing human rights violations in the island. Despite the culture of fear in Negros, Paghimutad and its volunteer community journalists courageously filled the void of information, publishing audio-visual reports through social media.
Clamor said the attempts to discredit human rights defenders and progressive organisations aim to prevent them from pursuing justice for the victims of rights violations.
“The government’s view is: if you don’t want to be red-tagged then you need to condemn certain parties, which isn’t what a journalist does.”