By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — The Amnesty International (AI) on Tuesday (June 10) revealed its annual report entitled “The State of the World’s Human Rights”.
During the press conference on the state of human rights report focusing on Philippine post-mid term elections at B Hotel, Jepie Papa, Amnesty Ph Acting Director, said that the NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) has created an atmosphere of fear among young human right defenders because of the “red tagging” activities.
The Amnesty International is calling on lawmakers to pass the Human Rights Defenders Act.
Papa noted that the arrest of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte last March is a “respite” for the victims of the “war on drugs” during the Duterte administration (2016-2022).
“Economic and cultural rights is not a basic right, but it is a human right,” Papa said.
Amnesty International documented the nickel mining operations in Brookespoint, Palawan which brought about environmental degradation in the area. The Philippines is the no. 1 producer of Nickel.
It is calling to uphold the indigenous people’s right to ancestral domain.
“We call on the passage of the Expanded Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act,” Papa said.
Amnesty International is also calling for an increase in the basic minimum wage through legislation.
“We call on the legislators to protect human rights in the face of the climate change crisis,” Papa said.
The annual report is focused on countries in the world where there is presence of Amnesty International.
“Genocide is what is happening in Gaza now rooted on apartheid. It’s a live genocide happening in Gaza because Israel is even backed by more powerful countries such as the United States,” Papa said.
She added that some reports have confirmed that the AI technology is being used in Gaza.
Amnesty International has recommended a review of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002” where the drug problem should be treated as a health problem.
Papa stressed that the legislative agenda of Amnesty International in the 20th Congress, which will start on 12:01pm of June 30, 2025, are priority bills for human rights, LGBTIQA community, ancestral domain (ancestral territories) for the Indigenous Peoples, especially the non-Moro Indigenous Peoples in the BARMM.
PNP HRAO (Philippine National Police Human Rights Affairs Office) Chief Police Brig. Gen. Jerry Protacio said that the PNP is not engaged in the red-tagging whether against individuals or groups.
Regarding the killing of broadcast journalist Pete Mabasa, the case is now pending before the competent court and General Bantag and others were the subject of warrants of arrest.
The dismissal of the case against former Senator Leila De Lima, the matter has been submitted to the court and the eventual dismissal of the case was based on evidence and the rule of law.
The case against Rappler Maria Ressa is now under the adjudication of the court.
On the issue of enforced disappearances, there are already protection orders issued by the Supreme Court and the PNP is undertaking everything under the ambit of the law.
“The PNP adheres to the rule of law. Any violation of the law must be addressed properly,” Protacio said.
He added that former President Duterte was properly arrested and he was accorded due process when brought to the ICC at The Hague, the Netherlands to face the charges of crimes against humanity.
The PNP is upholding the international legal instruments such as the United Nations Convention on Human Rights.
“The approach on drugs problem should be viewed as a ‘psychological problem’. The enforcement perspective should be strengthened, which is more humane. We don’t condone any killing of individuals,” Protacio said.
“The PNP is just responding on the call of the public to address the alleged increase in crime incidents,” he added.
“The PNP does not endorse or adhere to red-tagging. The PNP issued Human Rights Advisory where PNP personnel strictly adhere to the rule of law and comply with legal and international standards, which forms part of the policy of the PNP,” Protacio said.
“We do not condone any acts or forms of red-tagging. We do not have legal basis to accuse anybody,” he added.
UP Dahas, a third party monitoring group, reported that 871 people were allegedly killed in anti-drug operations, Protacio would not speculate as he has no basis and it’s the first time that he heard about it, as well as on the part of the Amnesty International.
The PNP HRAO has already communicated the case of Jean Rose and Capuyan to the concerned agencies and Protacio is not at liberty to divulge anything about it as it would violate the Data Privacy Law.
Protacio has 35 years in PNP Service, 3 times in the United Nations where he provided protection to people affected by war, and he found that the secret of national development is respect for human rights where the full potential or skills of the people will be developed and contribute ideas to nation-building.
“Human rights is inviolable and it is enshrined in the 1987 Constitution, specifically in the Bill of Rights,” he said.
Protacio stressed that there are police human rights affairs officer in each police station in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Judy Pasimio, of Lilak Purple Action, said that it is important to release the annual report on human rights of the AI.
Pasimio noted that Lilak is one of the petitioners against the NTF-ELCAC before the Supreme Court.
She expressed elation that the PNP admitted that it has no mandate on “red-tagging”, specifically not a part of the legal mandate of the PNP.
“The ‘nanlaban’ narrative of the Duterte administration has brought about ‘a chilling effect’,” Pasimio.
“There has to be a building of trust with the new PNP leadership,” she added. Police Gen. Nicolas Torre III has just been installed as the new PNP Chief last Monday.
Pasimio cited that in the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has recorded a total of 79 human rights violations cases from 2018-2024, including women and children near a reservoir in Maguindanao del Sur.
She also cited the tragedy that struck Datu Sinsuat, Odin, Maguindanao due to the impact of climate change.
Before Duterte left, Pasimio said, he lifted the nine-year moratorium on mining operations nationwide.
“Teenage pregnancy is prevalent among IP (Indigenous Peoples) women at 11%,” Pasimio said.
She added that there are 7.5 million hungry Pinoys, the highest since Covid-19 which hit hard the Philippines from Marh 15, 2020 until December 2022.
“With Amnesty International, we hope to surface more cases of human rights violations, in the meantime, we remain vigilant,” Pasimio said.
The latest data from UP Dahas as of May 31, 2025, there are allegedly 951 people killed in drug-related operations.
Chuck Baclagon of 350. org, said “the name ‘350’ is also a curiosity, which means 350 parts per million, which is the safe carbon in our atmosphere. We are a little over a decade focused on decarbonization so as not to add to the heating up of the Earth.”For the longest time, 350 is working on resisting the carbonization and decarbonization is also related to human rights.The focus of the 350 now is the decarbonization on energy and transport such that Metro Manila is not just the center of carbonization but should be developed into a decarbonized urban city where there is respect for human rights. ###
