Supreme Court slammed for junking petition against Duterte’s threats to human rights workers

October 31, 2024 , 06:14 PM

By Rodolfo Dacleson II

(October 31, 2024) – A human rights group on Thursday criticized the Supreme Court for dismissing the writ of amparo and habeas data filed against former president Rodrigo Duterte and several ranking officials of state forces amid the killings of human rights workers.

Karapatan claimed that the decision only showed the failure of the judiciary system to protect the rights of human rights defenders, adding it’s “hypocrisy” for the government to claim that a “robust justice system” is present in the Philippines.

“Many of our human rights workers who were denied the opportunity to testify on the threats they received from Duterte’s state forces have either been killed, arrested and detained, or disappeared, after numerous threats, harassment and red-tagging,” said Karapatan secretary general Cristine Palabay in a statement.

The Supreme Court dismissed the writ of amparo and habeas data petitioned by Karapatan after human rights workers Zara Alvarez, Ryan Hubilla, and Nelly Bagasala were killed by unidentified assailants in Sorsogon in June 2019.

They were supposed to testify against Duterte and law enforcers after allegedly experiencing red-tagging and surveillance.

The decision was penned in August but was only received by Karapatan last Monday.

Last May, the Supreme Court ruled that red-tagging threatens a person’s “right to life, liberty, or security.”

“How many more activists and human rights defenders will be killed, arrested or abducted before we are heard?” said Palabay.

Under Duterte’s heavy-handed rule, more than 400 human rights defenders or activists have been killed, according to Karapatan. Over 1,000 were arrested and detained.

Duterte has repeatedly stated that he does not care about human rights.

Palabay added that impunity prevails due to Duterte and his cohorts remaining unpunished.

“We have seen a remorseless Duterte in the Senate and there is more reason to hold him immediately accountable,” said Palabay. “Our clamor for justice will not stop until Duterte and his lackeys are put behind bars.”

(PM)

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