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Philippine Democracy and Human Rights Face a Critical Test This Week

by borden, October 21, 2018, 12:54pm

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Our ally Senator Trillanes of the Philippines is facing possible jailing, maybe as soon as tomorrow, as a result of legal maneuvers that strain credulity in both their reasoning and their timing. It's not a given that Judge Soriano will go along with the administration in allowing the case against Trillanes to go forward. But even if he doesn't, there is a second case that could have the same result -- the judge in that case, Elmo Alameda, has used reasons that are farcical on their face to allow that one to move forward. He did at least allow for bail, but the case before Soriano would not. It's possible that the judges have been threatened.

If Trillanes joins Senator de Lima in the Camp Crame detention center, it will be even harder for political opponents of Duterte's drug war killings to oppose him, and the Philippines will be a big step closer to dictatorship. We would like the US government to make use of the Magnitsky Act to sanction Duterte administration officials who are responsible for these and other human rights violations. We also support legislation in Congress to cut off most funding to the Philippines National Police, and to fund the work of Philippine human rights advocates and health-based drug service providers. We prefer targeted measures of those types, for now at least, to pressure individual officials without harming the Filipino population as trade sanctions might. We would also like President Trump to retract his two disturbing statements that praised Duterte's drug policies.

In the meanwhile, we are hoping that Judge Soriano will do the right thing, and we commend the IPU for keeping a focus on this. Visit https://stopthedrugwar.org/philippinesto read about our work with Senator Trillanes and others.

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by Anonymous, December 21, 2018, 05:13pm

I live int he Philippines where extra-judicial executions have taken place by several thousand if we believe the media, and in this case, I believe the number to be between 3000 and 7000. Howevr, I must tell you that the PEOPLE of the Philippines voted for Duterte in overwhelming numbers BECAUSE he ran on the platform of cleaning up this very situation. The situation is not like the one in the USA, here it is much more like gangstas running town hall and town hall secretly supports the gangstas. When the extra-judicial killings started, EVERYONE (except the gangstas and maybe a few parents) sighed a huge sigh of relief.

People here feel much safer, and Hell! i even feel safe NOT locking my doors during the daytime--something I took for granted where I also live in the USA. Unless you live in the Philippines, youcannot judge what the situation is. The people here are half stuck in feudal times and half stuck on cell phones, they are generally illiterate, one third are extremely lazy, nearly all want a free handout and what pseudo-liberal Americans don't understand is that the gangstas here have guns, intend to use them and sell shabu-shabu (meth) to children and are basically immune to prosecution (due to the mayors being relatives and protecting them whilst getting a kickback)

I am a liberal who does indeed believe in human rights--that is human rights in a place where civiliztion reigns with a populace that understands civility. But when civility is NOT understood, then even a liberal like myself must come to the realization that one must use fire with fire--that is fire POWER when fire power is being used on the public. Gun ownership is LIBERAL concern, why the reactionaries were able to hijack that, I do not understand.

Anyway, stop condemning situations where you do not have direct eyes on it. David Borden is a good guy when it comes to AMERICAN problems and ideals, but David, come to live in the Philippines for 3 years and you will realize it is NOT America or Europe or even the 2nd world.

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