UN experts recommend creation of anti-torture body to PH

On 14 December, the United Nations torture prevention experts concluded their second visit to the Philippines by calling for the urgent designation of a national torture prevention body.

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Kabataang Makabayan reinvigorated in key Philippine universities

Kabataang Makabayan (Patriotic Youth), the revolutionary youth organization and an allied organization of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), has strengthened its chapters in several key private and public universities in Metro Manila.

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Deportation of Filipino- Swiss youth activist, denounced by rights groups

Karapatan and Anakbayan denounced the recent deportation of Filipino-Swiss youth activist Edna Becher by the Marcos Jr. regime. Becher was held up by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last 8 December. The BI cited a supposed government intelligence report as basis for deporting the activist. She was briefly detained at the airport and was forced to board the next flight back to her country of origin.

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Groups support possible resumption of GRP-NDFP peace negotiations

Various groups expressed support for the possible resumption of formal peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), following the joint communique signed last November 23 where the two parties agreed to resolve the armed conflict.

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Amid AFP claims of dismantling NPA, armed struggle perseveres

At least 18 soldiers under the 8th ID were killed and five were wounded in a series of tactical offensives by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Northern and Western Samar last June to August. Among those killed were five troopers of the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion (SRB), one of the “elite” forces most recently deployed in the region to “completely defeat” the people’s army.

Read more: Amid AFP claims of dismantling NPA, armed struggle perseveres

Groups laud UN rapporteur’s recommendation to abolish NTF-ELCAC

Various groups have called on the Marcos Jr. administration to implement the recent recommendations of the United Nations (UN) rapporteur Ian Fry to abolish the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). 

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Former Sen. De Lima, Duterte’s staunch critic released from unjust imprisonment

Former senator and chair of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights Leila de Lima, who led investigations into former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s criminal past and the thousands of killings in his so-called war on drugs, was released last November 13 after unjustly spending almost seven years in prison.

Read more: Former Sen. De Lima, Duterte’s staunch critic released from unjust imprisonment