Last week, a veteran union leader of government employees, Tonette Setias-Dizon, was forced to seek protection at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, fearing for her life after being tailed by suspicious men.

Setias-Dizon’s case, detailed in a report by Pinoy Weekly, is only the latest incident in what now appears to be an unprecedented harassment drive against social activists. For those targeted, it is an atmosphere highly reminiscent of Martial Law—which, ironically, the President Aquino’s parents fought against.

Since May, at least 21 government union officials, several student leaders and trade union activists, and two church leaders in Metro Manila—have been approached in their homes or workplaces by military intelligence. Veiled threats were issued against the activists and their loved ones, together with a letter that urges them to “cooperate” with authorities.

In Cordillera, leaders of the Ifugao Peasant Movement have received death threats through Facebook, according to a report by Northern Dispatch.

Also recently, 23 indigenous leaders, child rights advocates, and human rights defenders in Mindanao were charged with “kidnapping” and “serious illegal detention,” because of their efforts to help B’laans who evacuated from their militarized communities.

There are views that the increased political repression is aimed at silencing critics in time for Pres. Benigno Aquino III’s last State of the Nation Address on July 27.

The appointment of known human rights violators to top military posts—Lt. Gen. Hernando Iriberri as AFP chief and Maj. Gen. Eduardo Año as Army chief—also signals that attacks on unarmed activists are likely to escalate as the government’s counter-insurgency program Oplan Bayanihan draws to a close.