Farmers, indigenous peoples and teachers have been tagged as terrorists and subjected to various forms of attack since Duterte assumed office. The Anti-Terror Bill, if enacted into law, would only escalate what they describe as “state terror” and would target ordinary citizens for merely exercising their constitutional rights.
“He is a jolly person, always on the go. He was full of energy and loves to mingle with everyone.”
“The humane treatment of persons under detention and their release from prison in the midst of a raging pandemic are in consonance with international laws, among them the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, to which the Philippines is a state party.”
“It has happened in Cebu and in General Santos City — it won’t be long before arresting critics for online posts becomes a national policy that could throw us back to the dark days of Marcosian martial rule.”
“Where was this ‘human compassion’ when the homeless and the urban poor were subjected to warrantless arrests, inhumane detention in dog cages, or being made to sit under the sun as punishment for simply being outside their homes for the need to earn living or for simply having no home at all?”
“…[w]e urgently remind States that any emergency responses to the coronavirus must be proportionate, necessary and non-discriminatory.” By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL Bulatlat.com MANILA – United Nations experts reminded States currently imposing measures to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to respect human rights at all times. They emphasized that such measures should…
“Don’t we have the right to seek protection for ourselves? And perjury? We are God-fearing. We are not liars. They are the ones who lie.”
Her arrest “demonstrates the tendency of the Duterte government to weaponize the law in aid of its self-declared war waged against terrorism at the detriment of the lives and well-being of innocent people working in legal organizations in order to help the basic sectors of our society fight for and defend their basic, fundamental rights…
“We need to keep the fire burning especially now that Duterte has utilized the entire machinery of government against the people.”
For someone who lost a father and a mother, and whose husband has been detained, Jimmylisa admits there were times she wallowed in depression. She said her very name, taken from her parents, reminds her to be strong. “How could I not live up to their legacy?”
“There were times when she thought of taking a break, but in the end, her heart stays with the masses that she serves.” By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL Bulatlat.com MANILA – School activities and birthdays are important activities that any parent will surely not miss, but 42-year old mother Jackie Valencia usually misses these moments…