CC: Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor

We write to you in regards to the urgent situation of human rights defenders in the Philippines. Former Philippine President Duterte's policies left devastating impacts on the Filipino people. During the Duterte regime, we saw the militarization of schools and universities, closing of 55 Lumad schools in Mindanao, mass arrests and raids on legal people’s organizations' offices and homes, continuing the “drug war” with a death toll of 30,000 killed, the attempted murder of Brandon Lee, and thousands of human rights violations and atrocities committed.

Of further concern is newly elected President Marcos Jr’s denial of his family’s history in human rights abuses as well as his attempts to protect the former Duterte regime, especially with Rodrigo Duterte's daughter Sara in office as Vice President. While Marcos Sr. became infamous for his regime’s arrests, killings, disappearances and torture under Martial law, Marcos Jr. has defended his father’s regime and gone so far to state: “I will use everything I learned from [him] to continue [his] work.

Since the inauguration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., we have seen more of the same human rights issues that happened under Duterte continue today:

More than two dozen sites were blocked and accused of having links to “Communist-Terrorist Groups,” including civil society organizations. Two media organizations were among those targeted – independent news site Pinoy Weekly, and Bulatlat, the country’s longest-running online publication.
Police arrested two indigenous Lumad activists in July on trumped up charges of “Trafficking” which has commonly been used against those aiding Lumad children evacuating their militarized homelands
The Department of Justice has filed charges against Rural Missionaries of the Philippines alleging financial support of “terrorism.” Rural Missionaries of the Philippines programs focus on service to poor and marginalized communities.
Police arrested Adora Faye De Vera on August 24. De Vera is a longtime women’s activist and plaintiff in a lawsuit against Marcos Sr. for crimes he committed during Martial Law. Atel Hijos, another longtime women’s activist, was arrested August 31st.

The human rights situation in the Philippines is in crisis now and needs urgent response from the international community. We urge you to use your special office and intervene:

1. To investigate the crimes against humanity committed under Duterte and to urge the the ICC to continue it's probe into war on drugs under the Duterte Administration in the Philippines.

2. To urge the Marcos administration to render justice to victims of Martial Law under Marcos Sr. and ensure the completion of all payments owed to victims, to put a stop to the widespread attacks on the press and human rights defenders in the Philippines, and for the Philippines to re-join the ICC and fully comply with investigation.

3. To hold meetings with civil society organizations during Third Committee of the UN on Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Issues​​​​​​​ in October and to hold a country visit to the Philippines as part of it's investigation.

4. To write statements condemning the egregious human rights abuses committed under both the Duterte and Marcos regimes, and protect the Filipino peoples' right to advocate for genuine democracy and peace in the Philippines.