The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) said its forces have always upheld the validity of its Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP).
“We are deeply worried that these latest killings indicate an escalation in violence, intimidation and harassment and red tagging of human rights defenders,” Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said.
“The Filipino people deserve better than this murderous regime,” Vice President Leni Robredo said.
Four other massacre victims in last Sunday’s brutal police operations against activists have been identified, all of whom were accused of illegal possession of firearms and explosives like the other five.
Commission on Human Rights spokesperson Jacqueline De Guia said: “Words matter and such words can embolden some to act with abuse and impunity.”
PNP-CALABARZON director B.Gen. Felipe Natividad admitted that the killing and arrest of the activists are part of the government’s counter-insurgency campaign.
Six activists were reportedly killed while nine are arrested in a joint Synchronized Enhanced Management of Police Operations in Laguna, Rizal, Cavite and Batangas provinces Sunday morning, eve of International Women’s Day, March 7.
A second unionist was arrested on Thursday, March 4, with a warrant of the same charge and from the same judge, leading a human rights organization to ask if the country’s courts have become factories of “bogus search warrants.”
The wave of search warrants served in the dead of night that lead to charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives netted another activist, this time a government employee based in San Pablo City, Laguna.
“You want to make it appear as a robbery? The CCTV footage says otherwise. It was a kill operation. Right on the dot, after the stabbing, two motorcycles arrived to pick up the masked killers and they disappear[ed] in the dark,” the victim’s uncle said.
