Human Rights in The Philippines

Sep 16

It's easy to consume ourselves with the disparities and political conflicts that swarm our everyday social environment, but taking the time to educate ourselves on injustices that are not necessarily mainstream or seemingly geographically relevant is crucial to diversifying our media intake and global knowledge. Learning about what another area is enduring or combatting can help us be better community members and lend our support where it is needed. Our friends in the Philippines have been largely criminalized and stripped away of many innate civil rights. Let’s learn about their situation, why it's happening, interpersonal and international implications, as well as advocacy tools and important ways we can help.

Damaging attempts to combat the ‘War on Drugs’

In 2016, when Rodrigo Duterte was elected into office to serve a six-year term as President, he announced to a crowd of more than 300,000 his full intentions, “If I make it to the presidential palace I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, holdup men, and do-nothings, you better get out because I'll kill you.” Duterte introduced his sole goal to the nation: to end the ‘war on drugs.’ President Duterte recognized the pressure illegal drug use placed on Filipino communities and youth and turned to the Criminal Justice System in an effort to reduce and eliminate users, peddlers, and producers and suppliers. According to a 2012 United Nations report the Philippines had the highest methamphetamine abuse in East Asia, and as of 2016, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DBB) found there were 1.8 million drug users in the Philippines. These ambitions were justified. But the way Duterte fought this battle was not. Through his campaign, Duterte exaggerated the severity of the drug problem, claiming that 4 million individuals were using or involved with the drug trade, completely contradicting the aforementioned 2016 DBB report. In an effort to apprehend drug producers and potential suppliers or sources, President Duterte ordered all law enforcement and government officials to murder anyone they believed to be involved with the drug trade. And they abided ruthlessly. Duterte’s efforts are responsible for over 12,000 deaths of Filipino citizens and 2,555 of these have been attributed to the Philippine National Police. With largely unproven speculation of involvement, lives would be threatened, and many of these lives would be taken — by those who are supposed to protect. The Philippine police are falsifying evidence to escape lawful consequences, and as the International Criminal Court (ICC) notes, Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’ campaign “cannot be seen as a legitimate law enforcement operation, and the killings are neither as legitimate nor as mere excesses in an otherwise legitimate operation.” These killings were governmentally encouraged. These state-sponsored murders are causing communities to crumble and even more, lives to be destroyed. When illegal raids occur or the police suspect possible drug affiliation, it’s not just men’s or women’s lives being taken, but parents. Their children are struggling to survive with no support from the government for their caused grievances. The Human Rights Watch video below further illustrates what these families are enduring and the lack of compensation for each life illegally taken.

Not only are these kids financially or situationally impacted, but the psychological damage that comes with losing a parent or loved one as a child can never be reversed. What’s more is the effect that follows witnessing a life be taken. These children are surrounded by unnecessary and unjustified violence, causing them to be more at risk for behavioral issues and mental health problems; anxiety and depressive disorder, aggression, suicidal tendencies, and unwarranted violence of their own. Their adult lives will be largely clouded by the lingering and untreated emotional discrepancies resulting from these experiences — Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) holding more prevalence in these children’s lives than ever.

These unlawful killings are being further investigated by the ICC, this means where incrimination lingers, Duterte and campaign affiliates may serve for their murderous actions. Though Duterte has officially finished his 6-year term — and by Philippine law can now only serve a single term — the ramifications of his actions will forever hold significance. Unfortunately, with their newly elected President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., much uncertainty and little hopes remain in this country. This is because his father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., served as President of the nation from 1965 to 1986 — a time that history paints as the darkest time in Philippian history. A year before Marcos Sr.’s second term would have ended, he declared martial law. Marital law refers to the transfer of power from military rule to civilian rule, in which the military commander now has unlimited authority to make, change, and enforce laws over the entire country. The country fell into deep poverty, swarming with human rights abuses and no economic support offered for communities of middle to lower socioeconomic class status. Marcos Sr. completely censored anyone in opposition, ordering the army and police to torture and kill political and judicial opponents. So now that his son is running things evoke fear towards the possibility of repeating the bleakest time in the nation’s history.

"Wow is this really happening?" asked Bonifacio Ilagan, a 70-year-old activist who was detained and severely tortured by counterinsurgency forces during the elder Marcos's rule, before the inauguration. "For victims of martial law like me, this is a nightmare."

Much of the population is hesitant, frightened even, toward the idea of going backwards when the country already needs so much rebuilding and compensation.

Anti-Activist Violence and Red-Tagging

As civil unrest and extreme political fallouts threaten the very livelihood and human civil rights of the Philippines, activists and human rights advocates are rightfully speaking out against these injustices. But the cost that comes with using their voice for good— is terrifying. Activists in the Philippines, primarily protesters and journalists, have used their platforms and organizations to put an end to the cruel killings resulting from Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’ regime and attempted to combat much of the government’s efforts to strip their citizens of their safety and allowances. As a result, over 900 activists have been murdered, and 1,138 activists have been arrested and detained over the past 5 years. Most notably, what the country now refers to as ‘Bloody Sunday,’ was a military-police raid taking place on March 7, 2021, which resulted in 9 activists being brutally murdered. The injustices each activist specialized in, or primarily dedicated their platform to, ranging from climate injustices to labor rights. It seems regardless of what injustice they stood for didn’t matter — it’s the fact they stood up at all, that did. These killings and unjustified imprisonments are a direct result of President Duterte’s relentless threats and harassment toward each advocate, and the wrongfully announced ‘red-tagging’ of each group or individual. For those who are not aware, red-tagging refers to associating or labeling one as being part of a communist sentiment, and these motivations have been present in our country too — particularly in the 20th century. Duterte, and previous Philippine political leaders, publicly promote specific agencies or journalists as supporting or being a member of the Communist New People’s Army (NPA) in an effort to discredit and limit the jurisdiction activists have. This blacklists organizations and individuals, damaging their job status, reputation, and unfortunately, their families and own physical safety. By publicly broadcasting people’s names and/or locations, they place uninvolved and innocent individuals in direct aim of anti-communist groups to attack and deteriorate. These lives are often taken out of fear for the NPA and resurgence of communistic ideals, activists often posing as scapegoats for global issues and the NPA itself. This is Duterte and the Philippine government’s strategy of stripping power away from those who strive to make positive change. They are threatened by the power they know much of us hold. Some who have been a victim of unsupported ‘red-tagging’ have reported experiencing death and rape threats, both online and in-person, as well as having their family’s safety be in danger. Others are arrested, injured, and killed. It is terrifying to believe one’s life status, platform, and loved ones could be ripped away as a result of speaking out against injustices. But this is the reality for human rights advocates and leaders in the Philippines. We must applaud and look up to those who continue to fight regardless of unjust and uncontrolled consequences. To live in fear is one thing, but to promote change despite fear is another.

How to Help - Support Options & Resources

It seems as if the work we do countries away will seemingly have no impact on their circumstances or future. It’s tricky. We want to alleviate much of the pain and injustice they are facing, but we don’t know how to., or if our efforts will even make an impact. But lending a hand to our friends living miles away can have a truly meaningful and constructive impact on their lives and communities, and there are numerous ways to do this. Let’s learn.

Donating and Funding

Similar to many disparities present globally, there are many organizations with the same motivations as us to assist those in the Philippines with what they need to live fuller, safer, cleaner, and happier lives. UNICEF has a donation and volunteer program dedicated to providing impoverished citizens with the materials they need to be safe and successful. Emergency materials like this include clothes, shoes, access to water, food, sanitary and safe housing, as well as hygiene services. Their initiative asks you to choose between a one-time or monthly donation, in which you can specify a specific person or family to dedicate to or give in memorial of. By contributing even $20, families are able to better support themselves and navigate their current environmental and political climate. Save The Children is another foundation with this goal, placing extra emphasis on the situation for many of the youth in the Philippines. Becoming involved or donating can help struggling children to have access to health services, nutrition, and safe educational facilities. Sponsorship programs are created for these kids, in which they are supported through financial aid and working opportunities to help them flourish throughout their teenage years and adulthood. This also includes building many homes for families affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan and similar natural disasters, our money employed to provide shelter to many in need. Doctors Without Borders is an organization working to combat similar disparities, primarily geared towards assisting those in the Philippines with the sexual and reproductive health services they do not have access to.

“Our team in the Philippines supports a clinic, in collaboration with local organization Likhaan, on family planning services, carrying out consultations, and improving screening, diagnosis, and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. We also provide screening for cervical cancer and cryotherapy.”
- The Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) Team

We are able to support their practices by donating online, donating by mail, fundraising for their cause, and joining their Partner program. Without our support, it is difficult for these communities to achieve their purpose and substantially help.

It’s crucial we take advantage of initiatives like these and give where is needed.

Supporting Government Transparency

In the Philippines, it feels seemingly impossible to speak out against the government’s actions and policies without fear of slander, compromising your and your family’s safety, and placing your job in peril. This is where our job lies and how our intervention is of great need. We have the freedom to speak out and use our voices to combat these injustices. It feels like we are a world away, but thanks to the world wide web, we can fight this battle alongside them. Nowadays, as much as we wish it wasn’t, media and internet networking are everything. So use your social media platform. Spread reliable and fact-checked information. Pressure your community to speak out with you. Pressure politicians! It is in making people uncomfortable that the most work gets done. A platform dedicated to this cause is the Filipino Movement for Good Governance. Its entire purpose is around promoting government transparency and electing those that will stick to their word. They challenge the leaders, to be honest, and accountable to their citizens, an expectation rarely lived up to. Many of these citizens are putting their lives in danger in an attempt to achieve a more responsible and reliable government. Support them today. Not through money, through words. Because that’s where the power lies.