Human rights advocates and lawyers welcomed the recent statement by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet expressing concern on the human rights situation in the Philippines and a need for an independent probe on extrajudicial killings.
A religious order has denounced the complaints filed against some of its members in Mindanao by state forces calling these charges as “baseless” and “malicious.”
Unfulfilled promises of assistance and clearing of their village of soldiers and insurgents were the reasons displaced villagers Lagonglong town of Misamis Oriental rejected their planned transfer to a new location following the provincial government’s move to remove them from the De Lara Park on Tuesday.
Evacuees from a mountain village in Misamis Oriental removed their tents and returned to their homes on Tuesday, June 18 after living in makeshift shelters for more than a year at the Provincial Capitol Grounds here.
Detained Senator Leila de Lima denounced the arrest and temporary detention of Davao City-based journalist Margarita Valle, and called it a “shameless act” meant to “silence messenger of truth”.
Evacuees who are currently staying at the Misamis Oriental Provincial Capitol grounds have built temporary shelters Monday as the provincial government has threatened to demolish them.
Farmer’s organization Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) condemned the killing of its member in the Bukidnon province over the weekend.
The counsel of Davao-based columnist Margarita Valle is mulling to file charges against the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) despite police’s apology over her arrest which it claimed was a mistaken identity.
Family members of 61-year-old veteran community journalist Margarita “Gingging” Valle said their mother was the “clear target” of the state forces, refusing to believe authorities’ claim that it was a case of mistaken identity.
The human rights watchdog Karapatan has slammed Monday the government for targeting the elderly following the arrest of the 61-year-old Davao City-based media personality Margarita Valle in Misamis Oriental and the killing of a 65-year-old land reform advocate Felipe Dacal-Dacal in Negros Occidental.
