APCHRP: Less than a week before SONA, the conviction of Talaingod 18 reveals the true state of human rights under Marcos Jr.
KARAPATAN Public Information
18 July 2024
Reference: Sr. Patricia Fox, APCHRP Spokesperson, 0423 233 152, apchr...@gmail.com
The Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (APCHRP) gravely condemns the guilty conviction against former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, and others collectively known as ‘Talaingod 18’. The Tagum Court convicted them guilty in relation to the National Solidarity and Rescue Mission in 2018.
The said rescue mission was an appropriate response to the students and volunteer teachers who have faced continuous bouts of harassment and expulsion from their ancestral lands. Orchestrated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the paramilitary Alamara has been pointed out as directly responsible back then.
“The conviction against the Talaingod 18 further reveals the true state of the nation under Marcos Jr.: that political violence and persecution continues to persist under the current administration despite attempts to divorce itself from the Duterte brand of fascism,” said Sister Patricia Fox, APCHRP Spokesperson.
Attacks against the Lumad, whose ancestral lands are very rich in natural resources, escalated further under the Duterte administration who even threatened to bomb Lumad schools. About 535 Lumad schools in Mindanao have been attacked by forces of military and paramilitary.
“The worsening human rights situation in the Philippines is synonymous not only with fascist attacks, but also with the lack of basic rights such as education, which has hampered the development of the youth, especially of the indigenous youth who have long been deprived of the right to education,” Fox added.
“We stand with the Talaingod 18 and the rest of the toiling Filipino people who will not only strive to appeal this unjust decision, but will hold the Marcos Jr. administration accountable for continued military harassment and violence. We echo the call of Philippine and international voices to abolish the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and move towards the peace talks for just and lasting peace,” Fox reiterated.
APCHRP continues to also call for the reestablishment of Lumad schools, as well as end of militarization of peasant communities in order to facilitate the right of education of Lumad and other indigenous youth.
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KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties. It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign.