On Tuesday, October 4, 2022, we held our first side event at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The event featured a statement by prerecorded video from Senator Risa Hontiveros of the Philippines. Father Albert Alejo, a leading human rights advocate from the Philippines who is currently based in Rome, hosted the event in person. Vicente de Lima, brother of imprisoned Philippine former Senator Leila de Lima, spoke live.

News coverage we know about:

• GMA News
• Manila Bulletin

Statement of Senator Hontiveros:

full event footage:

Human Rights in the Philippines: The Continuing Detention of Senator Leila de Lima

side event for the 51^st Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Room XXV, United Nations Office at Geneva, and online
Tuesday 4 October 2022, 3-4pm CET / 9-10pm PHT / 9-10am ET

online via Zoom, registration at https:/stopthedrugwar.org/global/or https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMocOyupj4qE9INDq4OqGL71jsyyRFjvVIQ

live streaming on Facebook and YouTube

speakers:

Senator Risa Hontiveros, Republic of the Philippines (prerecorded video)
Vicente de Lima, brother of Leila de Lima
Father Albert Alejo, S.J., faculty at Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome

moderated by:

David Borden, Executive Director, DRCNet Foundation AKA StoptheDrugWar.org
Marco Perduca, Associazone Luca Coscioni and former Senator, Italy

Last 24 February, Senator Leila de Lima marked five years of incarceration in the Philippines. Under the administration of recently-elected President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., de Lima remains jailed, despite not being convicted of a crime, and despite the recantations of three key accusers, who say they provided testimony because of pressure.

In the meanwhile, the extrajudicial drug war killings begun by former President Rodrigo Duterte continue. The Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court, after pausing its investigation following a Duterte administration treaty motion, has sought court authorization to resume. But the Marcos administration has rejected the investigation and said it will not cooperate.

In "The Continuing Detention of Senator Leila de Lima," speakers will review her case, and the larger human rights situation in the Philippines.

This is a side event organized for the 51^st session of the UN Human Rights Council. It is organized by DRCNet Foundation, a US-based NGO in consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, with cosponsor Associazone Luca Coscioni. Visit https://stopthedrugwar.org/globaland https://stopthedrugwar.org/philippines for information on our international programs. Email [email protected]or call +1 202-236-8620 for further information about this event.

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Keeping It Real: Duterte's Drug War Slaughter and the ICC
side event on the online margins of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Treaty (ICC)

Wednesday 15 December 2021, 7:00am New York / 1:00pm The Hague / 8:00pm Manila

Zoom registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYrdeqoqTMiGda-kkne8zE-zA9LxojrGwz9
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/77796516946/videos/1743934149133434
YouTube livestream: https://youtu.be/VCwxNrBDwXk

Since taking office in 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines has presided over a drug war extrajudicial killing campaign in which NGOs estimate more than 30,000 people have died. In response to the threat and now reality of an investigation by the International Criminal Court, the Duterte administration has argued the ICC lacks jurisdiction because the Philippines has an accountability process underway. But the scope of the government's investigations, and of any results from them, both remain very small.

"Keeping It Real" will discuss the Philippine Department of Justice's Interagency Task Force, the continuing reality of government orchestrated extrajudicial killings, the administration's recent motion to suspend the ICC investigation, and the incarceration of Duterte critic Senator Leila de Lima as it approaches its five-year mark and as she runs for reelection from jail.

Keynote: Atty Jose Manuel I. "Chel" Diokno is Founding Dean of the De La Salle University (DLSU) College of Law, where he served as Dean from 2010-2019; and is Chair of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), the oldest organization of human rights lawyers in the Philippines. Already prominent in legal circles, Diokno gained greater fame while running for Senate in 2019, especially among Filipino youth, and he is a 1Sambayan coalition candidate for Senate in 2022.

Comments on ICC process by Elizabeth Evenson, Associate Director, International Justice Program, Human Rights Watch

Other commenters to be announced.

co-moderators:
David Borden, Executive Director, StoptheDrugWar.org
Marco Perduca, former Senator, Italy, 2008-2013

Organized by DRCNet Foundation AKA StoptheDrugWar.org, cosponsored by Associazone Luca Coscioni, Ecumenical Advocacy Network for the Philippines, Filipino American Human Rights Alliance, Forum Droghe, other cosponsors TBA.

Register here. Visit https://stopthedrugwar.org/philippines to read about our work in this area.

UPDATE:
News article about our event online here.
Full footage of event now online here.

Fhillip Sawali slides online -- Powerpoint and PDF.

 

International Responses to Extrajudicial Drug War Killings -- Leverage and Limitations

side event at the online margins of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Treaty (ICC)

Wednesday Dec. 23 2020
8:30-10:00am New York / 2:30-4:00pm The Hague / 9:30-11:00pm Manila

organized by DRCNet Foundation AKA StoptheDrugWar.org

speakers:

Fhillip Sawali, Chief of Staff, Office of Senator Leila de Lima, Republic of the Philippines
Elizabeth Evenson, Associate Director, International Justice Program, Human Rights Watch
Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, Asian Legal Resource Centre

co-moderators:

David Borden, Executive Director, StoptheDrugWar.org
Marco Perduca, former Senator, Italy, 2008-2013

Link for registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkdOGrrj8pE9Tyj4AgGeO25tiXDgUdZiAs

Thank you for visiting our web site. Phil (writer of the Drug War Chronicle) newsletter is off this week, while he and his partner set up a new home. All of us have been busy adapting to the current crisis situation, and I was overseas recently at the annual UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs meeting, as part of our efforts on global drug policy and the human rights crisis in the Philippine drug war. That is why the site doesn't look as current as it usually does.

On my end, amidst all of this I've unfortunately lapsed for a few weeks on the email editions of the Chronicle. Time management with the very small staff we have now, while multiple programs break out, is a challenge too. That's why you haven't seen emails from us yet this month. Working this challenge out has been a process.

There will be an email edition of the Chronicle out later today or tomorrow morning. Most of it will be the content you've probably seen on our site already, due to Phil being on leave. But we will also be publishing information on COVID-19's impact on drug users and the related health services, and on the criminal justice system, including requests for you to take action this week. And Phil will be back this weekend or Monday.

I will also be posting my thoughts on advancing policy reform during a crisis. As some of you know, I've been doing this for awhile. While every crisis is different, there are lessons to be learned from the past.

More soon,

Dave