Global unions call anew to end extrajudicial killings in the Philippines

The Council of Global Unions declared this year’s Human Rights Day on 10 December as a global day of action for the international trade union movement to focus on the Philippines where, it stated, “there is a systematic campaign against labour and human rights defenders.” The CGU urged its global trade union affiliates to organize protest actions in front of Philippine embassies in their respective countries and solidarity actions for Philippine workers’ unions.

Read more: Global unions call anew to end extrajudicial killings in the Philippines

Duterte government blocks travel of Nobel Peace Prize awardee

The government of President Rodrigo Duterte demanded that Philippine journalist Maria Ressa be prohibited from travelling to Oslo, Norway to receive the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize on 10 December. Duterte’s Solicitor General Jose Calida petitioned the Court of Appeals on 25 November to reject Ms. Ressa’s request to travel, saying she is “considered a flight risk” as seen in her “recurring criticisms of the Philippine legal processes.”

Read more: Duterte government blocks travel of Nobel Peace Prize awardee

Duterte ‘anti-communist war’ riddled with corruption

The Duterte government’s so-called war against communism, spearheaded by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, is riddled with corruption, a regional spokesperson of the New People’s Army recently revealed.

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Human rights defenders, victims’ families protest suspension of ICC probe on Duterte ‘drug war’

Human rights advocates, families of victims and Philippine legal experts are protesting the suspension by the International Criminal Court of its investigations on alleged crimes against humanity in relation to President Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’.

Read more: Human rights defenders, victims’ families protest suspension of ICC probe on Duterte ‘drug war’

CPP denounces COP26 failure

The Communist Party of the Philippines denounced the recently concluded 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in its “failure to take decisive action to reverse the rapid rise in the earth’s temperature, resulting in disastrous floods, landslides, droughts, heatwaves, super typhoons, forest fires and rising sea levels.”

Read more: CPP denounces COP26 failure

Workers suffer more under Duterte during the pandemic

In 2021, Philippine workers have been fighting for decent wages and job security amid the pandemic. As early as January, workers’ unions and associations have already demanded a PhP100 subsidy (about US$2) to augment their daily wage. On 7 November, the Makabayan parliamentary bloc proposed laws for wage increases amid continuous increases in petroleum prices over the past 10 weeks and the worsening crisis caused by the pandemic.

Read more: Workers suffer more under Duterte during the pandemic

Pilgrims for Peace demand transparency on Ka Oris, Ka Pika killings

The Pilgrims for Peace alliance of Philippine religious leaders and academics called on the Duterte government on 12 November for the release of “the full, complete, and authentic information and documentation in the killing of Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos and Eighfel “Ka Pila” dela Peña.

Read more: Pilgrims for Peace demand transparency on Ka Oris, Ka Pika killings