MANILA. United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan, at the conclusion of her nearly two-week visit to the Philippines, commended the government’s efforts under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to tackle human rights abuses, particularly the killings of journalists and rights activists. Khan acknowledged positive steps but emphasized the need for further action and accountability.
During her visit, Khan engaged with government officials, activists, and even met with a detained journalist, as part of her assessment of human rights conditions in the country. She urged the Marcos administration to pursue justice for rights victims during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, a term watchdog groups dubbed a “human rights calamity” due to widespread violations.
While Khan recognized the positive signals, she asserted that they are insufficient to decisively address the past. “Tackling the grave and deep-seated human rights problems of the Philippines will require more fundamental and sustained reforms and also a clear commitment to accountability,” she stated during a news conference in Manila.
Referring to UN figures, Khan highlighted that at least 81 past killings of journalists in the Philippines remain unresolved. She expressed concern about the recent trend of journalist killings since Marcos assumed office in 2022, emphasizing that “the Philippines remains a dangerous country for journalists.”
Khan urged the government to abolish its task force overseeing the campaign against a long-standing communist insurgency and spoke against the practice of “red-tagging,” where activists are linked with armed insurgents. She presented evidence that red-tagging is part of security forces’ counterterrorism strategy, leading to threats, unlawful surveillance, attacks, or even killings of legitimate activists.
Jonathan Malaya, assistant director-general of the National Security Council, denied the existence of a “red-tagging” policy and defended the task force, claiming it had weakened the communist insurgency. Malaya stated that once remaining guerrilla fronts are dismantled, the task force would shift its focus to promoting peace and national unity.
The Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army, have been engaged in a communist insurgency since 1969. While Malaya asserted a decline in guerrilla numbers, Khan stressed the need for the government to address the issue of red-tagging and take further steps to ensure human rights in the country.
(With inputs from agencies).
