US-based militants rallyversus arrest of activists

From the Visayan Daily Star (Nov 5, 2019): US-based militants rallyversus arrest of activists

US-based groups and rights activists staged a rally in front of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles Sunday to protest the mass arrests of 57 in Negros Occidental late last week, and demand that no U.S. tax dollars be used to proliferate human rights violations and other efforts to silence political dissent.

These have become more frequent since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte took office, Sophia Knowlton-Latkin of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) - Southern CA, said in a press statement sent to the DAILY STAR.
Joyous Prim, a ICHRP US officer, at the rally spoke of her having met some of the leaders of progressive groups, who were among the 57 arrested in Bacolod and Escalante cities late last week.

Two months ago, a delegation of human rights advocates and church people from Southern California visited communities in Negros where they met human rights activists who were selflessly living with and organizing for the rights of the sugarcane workers and farmers, she said.

“We heard firsthand accounts of extra judicial killings and saw the never ending text (messages) of death threats our hosts received,” she added.

She said those arrested are longtime human rights defenders from legal organizations like the National Federation of Sugar Workers, Gabriela, Bayan Muna, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Teatro Obrero and Teatro Bungkal in Bacolod.

Terrie Cervas, Gabriela USA secretary-general, said they joined the rally to condemn the arrest of Gabriela Manila chairperson Cora Agovida and the 57 in raids in Bacolod, and to demand their release from government custody.

Nikole Cababa, Bayan USA secretary general, spoke against Duterte’s efforts to silence those critical of his regime.

“Instead of protecting the everyday Filipino farmer, peasant, worker, youth, Duterte has sentenced them with trumped up charges. How can poor sugarcane farmers and trade union workers afford to buy expensive explosives and firearms, when all they are demanding is their basic right to humane living wage and working conditions?” she asked.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas also joined a multi-sectoral indignation protest in front of the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame in Metro Manila yesterday to denounce the arrest of the 57 in Negros.*

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2019/November/05/topstory4.htm