No significant change in Philippines HR situation – US

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the decrease in cases of extrajudicial killings, there were no significant changes in the human rights situation in the Philippines last year, according to the US State Department.

Based on the US State Department’s 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, significant human rights issues were reported in the past year, including credible reports of arbitrary or unlawful killings, enforced disappearance, torture, harsh and life-threatening prison conditions and arbitrary detention.

It also cited serious problems with the independence of the judiciary, arbitrary and unlawful interference with privacy, serious abuses in a conflict and unlawful recruitment or use of child soldiers by terrorists and groups in rebellion against the government.

The US State Department also noted serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, serious government corruption, serious government restrictions on or harassment of domestic human rights organizations, extensive gender-based violence and significant restrictions on workers’ freedom of association.

“The government investigated some reported human rights abuses, including abuses by its security forces and paramilitary forces. Concerns about police impunity remained, given reports of continued extrajudicial killings by police,” according to the report released recently.

“Significant concerns also persisted about impunity for other security forces and civilian national and local government officials,” the report read.

In the report, the US State Department cited cases of arbitrary killings, including that of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and 17-year-old Jemboy Baltazar in Navotas.

“Extrajudicial killings, largely by police but also by other security forces, remained a serious problem. In addition, politically motivated killings, including of journalists, were reported during the year,” it said.

“There were numerous reports of arbitrary or unlawful killings by police in connection with anti-drug operations. The Marcos administration continued the anti-drug campaign – which began under the Duterte administration – albeit with a focus on treatment and rehabilitation, due process and rule of law-based investigations,” the report added.

“The non-governmental organization Dahas PH reported 209 killings related to anti-drug operations from January to August,” it noted.

On freedom of expression, it noted that the “chilling effect on public expression” during the previous Duterte administration “continued at a lower level” under the current Marcos administration.

“The practice of ‘red-tagging’ – labeling human rights advocates, unions, religious groups, academics and media organizations as fronts for or clandestine members of insurgent and other political groups – continued under the Marcos administration, which has neither suppressed nor condemned the practice,” read the report.

“Per civil society groups, the practice was intended to silence criticism of the government, intimidate opponents in local disputes or provoke legal action against political opponents,” it said.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said the report underscores the current human rights situation in the Philippines.

“The US State Department’s human rights report for 2023 lists a litany of ‘significant human rights issues’ in the Philippines, including extrajudicial killings, the targeting of activists and journalists, among others,” said Bryony Lau, HRW’s deputy Asia director.

“Despite claims by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that the human rights situation has improved, the report shows his administration needs to do more to ensuring rights are respected and perpetrators of abuses are held to account,” she added.