Killing / Death threats
Philippines
May 10, 2019
The Observatory for the Protection of
Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the World Organisation Against Torture
(OMCT) and FIDH, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation
in the Philippines.
Brief description of the
situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the killing
of Mr. Bernardino
Patigas[1], founder and Secretary General of the North Negros Alliance of Human
Rights Advocates, a member organisation of the Negros chapter of the human rights non-governmental organisation (NGO) Karapatan
- the Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights.
According to the information received, at around 4.30pm on April 22,
2019, Mr. Bernardino Patigas, aka ‘Tatay Toto’, was fatally shot
twice by a gunman while
driving his motorcycle along the highway of Barangay Washington, Escalante
City, Negros Occidental Province. Mr. Patigas died on the spot.
Mr. Bernardino Patigas was a
well-known human rights defender who called for land reform and denounced the militarisation
of communities and ongoing human rights violations in Negros. As a result of his human rights work, he repeatedly received threats and was subjected to harassment. In
April 2018, his name and picture, together with that of human rights lawyer Mr.
Benjamin Ramos, who was
subsequently murdered on November 6, 2018[2], and 60 other
individuals and rights advocates, were included in a poster of alleged
communist personalities.
On the same day, following reports of Mr. Bernardino
Patigas’ killing in the media and on social media, a death threat via text
message from an unknown person was sent to Ms. Cristina Palabay, Kaparatan Secretary General, Ms. Clarizza Singson,
Karapatan-Negros Occidental member, and various other community leaders in
Negros, insinuating that the names included in the message were targets to be
killed within the year.
The Observatory condemns in the strongest terms the killing of Mr.
Bernardino Patigas and the subsequent death threats against Ms. Cristina Palabay, Ms. Clarizza Singson, and
other community leaders in Negros, and urges the authorities of the Philippines
to carry out an immediate, thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation
into the above-mentioned events, and to identify all those responsible, bring
them before an independent tribunal, and sanction them as provided by the law.
The Observatory further reiterates its utmost concern over ongoing
killings and attacks against human rights defenders in the Philippines, and
calls upon the authorities to adopt effective measures to ensure the protection
of human rights defenders in the country, as well as to ensure proper
investigations into such killings and attacks.
Actions requested:
Please write to the authorities of the Philippines asking them to:
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical integrity and
psychological well-being of Ms. Cristina Palabay, Ms.
Clarizza Singson, and all members of Karapatan, as
well as all human rights defenders in the country;
ii. Carry out an immediate, thorough, impartial, and transparent
investigation into the murders of Mr. Bernardino Patigas and Mr. Benjamin Ramos in order to
identify all those responsible, bring them before an independent tribunal, and
sanction them as provided by the law;
iii. Put an end to all acts of harassment against all human rights
defenders in the Philippines, and ensure that they are able to carry
out their legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear of reprisals;
iv. Conform to the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights
Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9,
1998, especially its Articles 1 and 12.2;
v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for
human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human
rights standards and international instruments ratified by the Philippines.
Addresses:
· Mr. Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Republic of the Philippines, Fax:
+632 742-1641 / 929-3968, Email: op@president.gov.ph or send a message through http://president.gov.ph/contact-us/;
· Mr. Teodoro Locsin Jr, Secretary, Department of
Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Email: osec@dfa.gov.ph;
· Hon. Menardo Guevarra, Secretary, Department of
Justice of the Philippines, Fax: (+632) 521-1614, Email: communications@doj.gov.ph;
· Hon. Jose Luis Martin Gascon, Chairperson, Commission
on Human Rights of the Philippines, Fax: +632 929 0102, Email: chairgascon.chr@gmail.com;
· Police General Oscar Albayalde, Chief, Philippine National Police,
National Headquarters Building, Camp BGen Rafael Crame, Quezon City, 1111
Philippines. Fax: +632 724 8749 Email: pnpo.adm1n@gmail.com;
ocpnp@pnp.gov.ph; srocpnp@yahoo.com
· H.E. Mr. Evan P. Garcia, Ambassador, Permanent Mission
of the Philippines to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, Fax:
+41 22 716 19 32 Email: mission@genevapm.ph;
· Embassy of the Philippines in Brussels, Belgium, Fax:
+32 02 345 64 25, Email: brusselspe@gmail.com.
Please also write to the diplomatic missions or
embassies of the Philippines in your respective country.
***
Geneva-Paris, May 10, 2019
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken
quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights
Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by the World Organisation
Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH. The objective of this programme is to
intervene to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rights
defenders. OMCT and FIDH are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights Defenders
Mechanism implemented by international civil society.
[1] Mr.
Patigas was a survivor of the Escalante massacre of 20 farmers and farmworkers,
which occurred on September 20, 1985. He subsequently joined human rights
advocacy especially in favour of the Sakadas of Negros as well as fact-finding
missions in the region. At the time of his killing, he was running for
re-election as a Sangguniang Panglungsod (city council) member in Escalante
City.
[2] See
Observatory Urgent Appeal PHL 005 / 1118 / OBS 132,
published on November 9, 2018.
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