MANILA – Three years into the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the human rights situation in the Philippines is still bad. 

In its latest report, Civicus, a global alliance of civil society organizations and activists, rated the Philippines’ state of civic space as “repressed.” 

According to Civicus, the “repressed” rating signifies that civic space is significantly constrained. This means that fundamental freedoms like the right to assembly, association, and expression are severely restricted, but not completely closed off. 

Civicus cited the cases of Lumad leader Genasque Enriquez and Lumad leader Michelle Campos, the filing of terrorism financing charges against activists in Cagayan Valley including journalist Deo Montesclaros, among others. 

Heightened attacks against human rights defenders

Karapatan said that there has been an increased attack against human rights defenders and communities through illegal or arbitrary arrests, judicial harassment, and political imprisonment.  

In three years of the Marcos administration, Karapatan has documented 737 political prisoners detained; 164 were arrested under Marcos Jr. 

Many of the political prisoners are facing trumped up criminal charges, the groups said. Court hearings remain snail-paced. 

Thirty of them were arrested on fabricated cases using the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act, including community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, development workers Marielle Domequil and Emilio Gabales, church worker Aldeem Yañez, and environmental activist Miguela Peniero, Karapatan said. 

There are 96 sickly and 104 elderly political prisoners, “who, together with the thousands in jails and prisons, were subjected to torture, cruel and inhumane treatment, low and corruption prone budgets, and subhuman conditions including highly congested cells, unhealthy food, and lack of or inadequate medical and other care services.” 

“These and the lack of appropriate environment for sick and elderly prisoners have compounded conditions which led to deaths in detention, including that of 13 political prisoners, under Marcos,” the group said. 

The Marcos administration, through Anti-Terrorism Council and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), has continued to use of the terror laws, including cases against human rights defenders, development organizations and church and humanitarian workers. 

Read: Under Marcos Jr., political prisoners say same repressive policies still in place 

According to Karapatan, at least 166 individuals have been arbitrarily designated or are facing charges or complaints under the said laws. 

“On the other hand, at least 17 nongovernmental organizations have had their bank accounts and assets frozen. Red- or terrorist-tagging remains a prevalent practice by the NTF-ELCAC and their minions. The cases, affecting a broad spectrum of society, reveal a sinister pattern of instilling fear and suppressing dissent,” the group added. 

Rights situation to worsen

Karapatan also warned that the new security agreements made during Marcos Jr.’s meeting to US President Donald Trump will only worsen the human rights situation in the Philippines. 

“In meetings between US and Philippine defense officials that foreshadowed Marcos Jr.’s state visit, the US affirmed its commitment to providing $500 million in military aid to the Philippines in the next five years, an initiative begun under the Biden administration. The Trump regime is slashing its spendings overseas, but has no intentions of cutting back on military support for one of its favorite puppets,” said Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay in a statement.  

The Philippines has long been the biggest recipient of US military assistance in Southeast Asia. Since 2015, the Philippines has been receiving as much as P57 billion or $1.14 billion worth of planes, armored vehicles, small arms and other military equipment and training. 

“These war materiel were used to bomb and strafe communities and kill Filipinos,” she added. 

“There was also talk of boosting ‘industrial defense ties’,“ added Palabay, “which meant building, among others, factories that would manufacture military drones and ammunition as well as facilities to repair and maintain warships and provide logistical support to US troops.” 

Palabay decried that this would only suck the Philippines deeper into the vortex of US machinations to foment war with China and achieve dominance in the Asia-Pacific. 

“Filipinos, who are already suffering mounting human rights violations from a US-directed counter-insurgency war, will suffer all the more as Marcos Jr. bows to his imperialist master and irresponsibly brings the country closer to becoming embroiled in a US-instigated war with China,” Palabay said.

She added, “Strengthening security relations with the US can only spell more death and destruction for Filipinos.” 

A news report said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the US is set to give some $60 million in foreign assistance funding to support energy, maritime and economic growth programs. 

The US State Department also plans to work with the US Congress to allocate $15 million to support investments and job creation along the Luzon Economic Corridor. (RVO)