NUPL to gov’t: Do your job, keep it fair and square
The NUPL said red-tagging endangers their lives and prevents them from independently performing their duties as lawyers. “Especially since we in NUPL are compelled to handle cases that most of our colleagues in the profession cannot, would not, or do not – for reasons we respect – handle,” the group said.
Groups ask Court to reduce Tondo 3 bail amount
“But the rich and powerful like Imelda Marcos get a lower amount of bail though convicted for stealing 10.5 billion pesos of public funds,” Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim said, citing the former First Lady’s bail amount of P411,000 upon her conviction in November 2018.
Court dismisses ‘traveling skeleton’ cases against Leftists, civilians anew
“[The government]…failed to scientifically prove that the subject skeletal remains exhumed in Mt. Sapang Dako, Barangay Kaulisihan, Inopacan, Leyte on August 26-29, 2006 belong to the latter and [that]…the accounts of its eye-witnesses as regards how they were killed, who killed them and other surrounding circumstances behind their deaths are palpably unreliable,” Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 said.
Rights lawyers ask ICC to continue investigating Duterte’s drug war murders
“These domestic ‘remedies’ described by the Philippine ambassador (to The Netherlands) in his letter have proven utterly ineffective in stopping wave after wave of drug-related killings, the imprisonment of thousands of poor Filipinos on questionable charges, and the commission of countless human rights violations during the anti-drug campaign,” the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers said.
Groups urge SC to act on attacks against rights lawyers and clients
The petitioners said that attacks against the lawyers and judges deprive them of effective access to legal services and adequate protection for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Lawyer, CHR score Duterte’s order vs non-mask wearers
“We may be in quarantine due to the pandemic, but rights should not be on lockdown,” the Commission on Human Rights said.
PNP letter reveals ongoing profiling of lawyers
“The letter-request shows the barefaced disregard of the PNP for human rights, particularly the right to access lawyers and legal services. It is an affront to the right and duty of lawyers to exercise their profession without fear as well as the administration of justice,” the NUPL said in a statement.
Human rights lawyer survives murder attempt
“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.
Neri Colmenares wins international human rights award
Neri Colmenares, one of the country’s most prominent public interest lawyers, is this year’s awardee for outstanding contribution to human rights by the foremost organization for international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies.
‘It ain’t over yet’
“It ain’t over yet. We will not cease to exhaust any and all legitimate steps and platforms to challenge this draconian law. This without doubt is the most unpopular and perilous piece of legislation that could ever be pushed by a government that is fixated with the potion of power. In time, we will look back to this day of infamy and say the unbridled and terrorizing power of the government will always bend and retreat eventually when the people push back hard enough.”