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MAG envisions a society where fundamental human rights are upheld and protected at all times in accordance with the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights

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The UN CESCR today concluded its consideration of the combined 5th and 6th periodic report of the Philippines on its implementation of the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights.

"Another Expert was deeply concerned regarding human rights defenders, who were exposed to serious risks.  Could the delegation comment why mandates who had asked for visits had not been warmly welcomed.  What were the plans to stop the extrajudicial killings, measure to prevent the current war on drugs and from becoming a war against the poor?

An Expert, turning to the right to health, said that the country was taking a wrong and dangerous direction. There were tough penalties for possession and use of drugs, which resulted in the doubling of the prison population. What was being done to stop the extrajudicial killings and ensure that the war on drugs was not becoming a war on the poor?"

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"In a joint submission, the International Service for Human Rights, the Medical Action Group, the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates and the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact have highlighted the risks human rights defenders working on economic, social and cultural rights face in the Philippines.

Defenders are subject to threats, harassment, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and murder; all within a deep-rooted culture of impunity. In fact, Front Line Defenders ranks the Philippines as the second most dangerous country in terms of the number of human rights defenders murdered, while Global Witness ranks the Philippines as one of the most dangerous to be a land and environmental defender.

The 59th session of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will be held in Geneva from 19 September to 10 October 2016. The aim of the review will be to assess the Philippines’ progress towards compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights."

 


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European Union (EU) Delegation to the Philippines' First Secretary Jerome Riviere (fourth from left, standing) and Mr. Margarito Raynera, Jr., Programme Officer (first from right, standing), meets with members of the Medical Action Group (MAG), Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), Veronica Cabe (seated, center) of Coal Free Bataan Movement (CFBM) and, relatives and support groups of slain human rights defender Gloria Capitan https://www.fidh.org/en/issues/human-rights-defenders/the-philippines-assassination-of-ms-gloria-capitan of Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan ng Lucanin (SMNL).

The killing of human rights defender Gloria Capitan as president of SNML and known environmental rights defender of Mariveles, Bataan highlights those defenders who are working on land and environmental issues in connection with so-called “development projects” facing a particularly ‘high risk of violations’.

Ms. Capitan was actively involved in opposing the construction and presence of huge coal stockpiles facility located inside the Seafront Shipyard and Port Terminal Services Corporation, near their neighborhood owned by the Limay Bulk and Terminal Handling Corp.

The group discussed the on-going European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) Action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyUkRIjVdkg&feature=youtu.be and updated the Delegation about the people’s campaign against coal and general human rights situation in Bataan province during their courtesy call on the Delegation last July 14, 2016. (photo courtesy of the EU Delegation to the Philippines)

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The family of slain anti-coal plant activist has sought the help of President Rodrigo Duterte for justice, a week after victim Gloria Capitan, 57, was killed by an assassin in Bataan.

At a press conference on Friday in Quezon City, Capitan's family appealed to Duterte to dig into the bottom of the case.

Human rights defenders and leaders of human rights organizations also joined Capitan's family in the call for justice.

On July 1, 2016, two unidentified motorcycle-riding attackers shot Capitan at her house in Barangay Lucanin in Mariveles town. One of the riders shot the victim three times. She died on the way to a nearby hospital.

Capitan was the President of Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan ng Lucanin (SNML), a community organization that is critical of the coal plant and coal storage facilities located inside the Seafront Shipyard and Port Terminal Services Corporation, just in their neighborhood.

The plant is owned by the Limay Bulk and Terminal Handling Corp. in Mariveles.