As many other organisations, Protection International addressed a letter this morning to the President of the Philippines to express its deep concern and indignation regarding the increasing criminalisation of human rights defenders in the Philippines and particularly the recent petition filed in court isting indigenous peoples’ leaders and human rights defenders as terrorist and outlaws, pursuant to the National Security Act of 2007.

We strongly call on the Philippine government to:

1. Remove the names of indigenous peoples’ leaders and human rights defenders from the list of alleged terrorists;

2. Ensure the physical safety of indigenous peoples’ leaders and human rights defenders; and

3. Abide by State obligations to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.

• Read PI's letter to the Government of the Philippines
• Join the appeal for support!
• Karapatan, an organisation with whom PI has been collaborating for many years, is part of the organisations whose staff is listed in the government's terror list. Read Karapatan statement

For individuals who wish to endorse this letter you can sign on to our letter here! http://bit.ly/2Fw56lm

Filed on February 21, 2018, the petition named at least 567 individuals, among them nearly 50 human rights defenders, including the following:

VICTORIA TAULI CORPUZ, current United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, former Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples and former Secretary General of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA);

ELISA TITA LUBI, current Karapatan National Executive Committee member, former interim Regional Coordinator of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) and founding Vice Chairperson of Gabriela Women’s Party;

BEVERLY LONGID, current global coordinator of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), former CPA Chair and current Advisory Council member;

JOAN CARLING, current Member and Co-Convenor of the Indigenous Peoples Major Group for the Sustainable Development Goals, former Secretary General of the Asian Indigenous Peoples’ Pact (AIPP), and former member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues;

ATTY. JOSE MOLINTAS, former Asia representative to the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), former CPA Chair and current Advisory Council member;

JOANNA CARIÑO, member of the CPA Advisory Council and Co-Chair of the SANDUGO Movement of Moro and Indigenous Peoples for Self Determination;

WINDEL BOLINGET, current Chairperson of the CPA and National Co-convenor of KATRIBU National Alliance of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines;

JEANETTE RIBAYA-CAWIDING, former Chairperson of CPA-Tongtongan ti Umili and current Regional Coordinator of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers – Cordillera;

SHERWIN DE VERA, Regional Coordinator of DEFEND Ilocos, member of the Save The Abra River Movement (STARM) and former Secretary General of the Ilocos Human Rights Alliance-Karapatan

DATU ISIDRO INDAO, _Matigsalog-Manobo_ village chief, council member of the PASAKA Lumad Confederation in Southern Mindanao and an active member of the Parent-Teacher Community Association of the Lumad school run by the Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc.;

DATU MANDAYHON HAN-AYAN, _Talaandig _village chief in Malaybalay, Bukid and member of the PIGYAYONGAAN Lumad organization;

DATU MANDAYHON, a _Talaandig_ village chief and member of the PIGYAYONGAAN Lumad organization;

SERGIO LUMONDAY, a _Manobo_ and the Tinananon Kulamanon Lumadnong Panaghiusa secretary general;

ZARA ALVAREZ, Research and Advocacy Officer of the Negros Island Health Integrated Program (NIHIP) and former Campaign and Education Director of Karapatan-Negros chapter

ROMULO BITO-ON, Regional Coordinator of Makabayan-Negros and member of the Samahan ng Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA)

ROGINA NAVARRO QUILOP, Administrative Officer of the Center for People’s Resources and Services (CPRS)-Negros

ISIDRO CASTILLO, former Chairperson of the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW)

ARNOLD EVANGELISTA and ERLINDO BAES, officers of the Batangas Human Rights Alliance-Karapatan

Source: Protection International

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