BAGUIO CITY 鈥 Amnesty International Philippines on Wednesday accused the state of escalating human rights violations in Luzon, particularly in Metro Manila, up north and down south.
In a press conference here during the first leg of its 鈥淪tate of the World鈥檚 Human Rights 2023/24 Annual Report鈥 rolling launch, AI Philippines scored the Marcos administration for a supposed policy that portrays 鈥渁ctivists as terrorists鈥 and denies the role of human rights defenders in uplifting the nation.
鈥淎ttacks against human rights defenders and critics of the government have increased under a climate of impunity. A growing number of human rights defenders, including student activists, journalists, lawyers, and those belonging to Indigenous peoples鈥 groups have repeatedly been 鈥渞ed-tagged鈥 in Luzon,鈥 said Wilnor Papa, Amnesty Philippines鈥欌橝ctivism and Mobilization Manager.聽
The group also criticized ongoing extrajudicial killings under the government鈥檚 anti-illegal drugs war, noting that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. allegedly failed to address human rights issues.
鈥淣o progress in sight for this administration on key human rights issues, whether on civil and political or economic, social, and cultural rights,鈥 said Mr. Papa. 鈥 Artemio A. Dumlao
