Watchdog downgrades public health rights on activist killings, ABS-CBN shutdown, anti-terrorism law

MANILA – An international watchdog has downgraded the Philippines’ civic space from “obstructed” to “repressed” in its report this year, citing the passage of the controversial Anti-Terrorism Law, attacks on the media and alleged murders and defamation of activists in the last year.

South Africa-based Civicus Monitor, a global research collaboration of more than 20 organizations that rates and tracks respect for fundamental freedoms in 196 countries, said in its People Power Under Attack 2020 report that it is “extremely concerned” by recent attacks on journalists. , human rights defenders and criminalization of activists.

International regulator CIVICUS Monitor has downgraded PH’s civic space from “obstructed” to “repressed” in its annual report, citing killings and defamation of activists and targets of journalists. PH classified with African countries Ivory Coast, Guinea, Niger, Togo. pic.twitter.com/81fSWKfFQL

– Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) December 8, 2020

“The Duterte government has gradually curtailed civic freedoms since it came to power in 2016, but this has eroded further over the last year. In 2020, we have seen systematic intimidation, attacks and defamation from civil society and activists, increased repression of press freedoms and a pervasive culture of entrenched impunity, ”said Josef Benedict, Civicus Monitor Researcher for Asia and the Pacific, in the report released Tuesday.

Civic space refers to the environment that allows civil society to access information, engage in dialogue and express its disagreement.

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Among the bases for the downgrade were the murders of peace adviser and land rights activist Randall Echanis and rights activist Zara Alvarez.

Echanis was killed inside his home in Novaliches, Quezon City in August by a group of armed men, who remain at large. Meanwhile, Álvarez was shot on a street in the city of Bacolod a few days later.

The watchdog noted that both had been “tagged red” or labeled communists or terrorists by the government, putting them at great risk of being attacked.

Two women activists, Teresita Naul and Beatrice Belen, were also arrested in March and October, respectively, allegedly on the basis of false charges.

Senator Leila de Lima, a staunch critic of the president, has been detained for more than 3 years on what Civicus Monitor called “fabricated” charges.

De Lima’s defense team recently said that the prosecution’s own witnesses admitted on the witness stand that they have no personal knowledge of the senator’s involvement in illegal drug trafficking, after the prosecution completed the presentation of evidence. in 2 of his 3 drug cases.

The watchdog added that the attack on Filipino media this year escalated with the conviction of Maria Ressa for cyber defamation in June and the shutdown of ABS-CBN broadcast operations in May after the House of Representatives rejected her franchise renewal offer.

“The closure of a major store, ABS-CBN, is shocking, especially during a pandemic when information is critical to saving lives. Threats and attacks against journalists have contributed to self-censorship and have had a chilling effect on the media sector, ”said Benedict.

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“In addition to this, there are serious concerns that the new antiterrorism law, which has few safeguards, will institutionalize and facilitate an abuse of power,” he added.

Various human rights groups have criticized the passage of the Antiterrorist Law, with 37 petitioners questioning its constitutionality before the Supreme Court mainly due to its vague definition of terrorism and the expansive powers granted to the Antiterrorist Council (ATC).

The ATC, they said, could designate who can be considered terrorists and authorize their arrest without a warrant and detention for up to 24 days, as well as surveillance and freezing of assets through the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

The Supreme Court has issued oral arguments on the petitions on January 19, 2021.

Philippines included on Civicus watch list

The downgrade came after a year of regular monitoring and a comprehensive assessment of the state of civic freedom and places the Philippines alongside 43 other countries such as Cambodia, Venezuela and Russia.

African countries like the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Niger, and Togo also suffered similar degradation.

A rating of “repressed” means that democratic freedoms such as freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association are “severely restricted” and is only one notch higher than the lower rating of “closed” reserved for countries such as Iraq, Vietnam, North Korea and China.

In June, the watchdog placed the Philippines on its watch list due in part to the emergency powers of COVID-19 granted by Congress to the president, in addition to the new anti-terrorism law, attacks on independent media and labels. red.

That same month, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights presented a report to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) detailing the widespread human rights violations and persistent impunity in the country. due to a “heavy-handed approach” in countering threats to national security and illegal drugs.

Human rights groups hoped the report would lead to an international and independent investigation into the human rights situation in the country, but the HRC issued a resolution that would provide technical cooperation and capacity building for the promotion and protection of human rights. in the country.

The Justice Department launched a three-day human rights summit on Monday as part of a joint Philippines-UN program on human rights under the HRC resolution.

But critics said the summit is “ironic” and a “great farce” given the Duterte government’s record and because victims and human rights defenders are not part of the summit.

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