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Journalist Lady Ann Salem, who was arrested by police along with six other activists on Human Rights Day. Photo by Manila Today, a content partner of Global Voices, used with permission.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly expressed his scorn for human rights in his public speeches, calling rights activists ‘enemies of the state’ and threatening to allow the police to shoot them dead. As if to stress the Duterte government’s utter contempt for human rights, on International Human Rights Day, police operatives arrested a journalist and six labor union activists in their Metro Manila homes on allegedly trumped-up charges of possessing weapons.
Kin urge SC to release union organizers, decry violation of rights
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You Are Here:Home → 2020 → December → 18 → International groups worried about the arrest of woman journalist, urge PH government to stop red-tagging
International groups worried about the arrest of woman journalist, urge PH government to stop red-tagging
Colleagues call for the release of journalist Lady Ann Salem. (Photo by RVO/Bulatlat)“While there has been no offered evidence of any such links, Philippine officials’ increasing penchant for such “red-tagging” is reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous. When amplified by no less than the highest ranking enforcers of government and the law they inevitably compromise any guarantees of due process.”
By ALYSSA MAE CLARIN
Tonyo Cruz
The Philippine Bar Association this week said it is concerned that certain courts have become “warrant factories”. While the country’s largest voluntary lawyers’ group did not specify the particular courts, its statement indirectly referred to the mass arrest on Human Rights Day of six labor organizers and a journalist.
Press reports said Executive Judge Cecilyn Burgos Villavert of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 89 issued the warrants against labor organizers Dennise Velasco, Rodrigo Esparago, Romina Astudillo, Mark Ryan Cruz, Joel Demate, and Jaymie Gregorio Jr., and journalist Lady Ann Salem.
They were arrested on December 10, in separate police operations where law enforcers searched their homes and claimed to have found bombs and explosives.
Dr. Florangel Rosario Braid
A most disturbing pre-Christmas event that occurred on International Human Rights Day last December 10,and on the second day of the 2020 World Press Freedom conference, was the arrest of Lady Ann “Icy” Salem in Mandaluyong for alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosive. Icy is a journalist for Manila Today and the international communications officer at the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) which has national chapters in 14 countries of the world, including the Philippines.
In a video following her inquest proceedings, she said in Filipino: “We had our backs turned for an hour while the “evidence” was being planted.” As IAWRT Philippines said, “this is an irrational accusation against a journalist who has used her platform to amplify stories of the oppressed, and expose injustices, and a communications officer of a global network of women communicators.”
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