By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – United Nations mandate holders expressed deep concern on the terrorism and terrorist financing charges against 27 development workers of Cebu-based non-government organization Community Empowerment Resource Network Inc. (CERNET).
The UN mandate holders wrote to the Philippine government on Aug. 29 and was made public on Nov. 15. They said that the criminalization and red-tagging of these development workers “demonstrate a deliberate misapplication of counter-terrorism legislation, including Combating the Financing of Terrorism law, for the purpose of discrediting legitimate human rights and humanitarian activities.”
“The targeting of these human rights defenders and humanitarian workers through intimidation, reputational harm and criminalisation is of particular concern, as it appears to be in direct retaliation for their legitimate and peaceful activities promoting economic, social and cultural rights in the Philippines. We are concerned that such measures risk obstructing the delivery of vital and well-protected humanitarian, human rights and development services,” the communication read.
The five UN mandate holders are: UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Mary Lawlor, Gina Romero, UNSR on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Ben Saul, UNSR on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Reem Alsalem, UNSR on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences; and Laura Nyirinkindi, chair/rapporteur of the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls.
In particular, the UN human rights experts asked the Philippine government to explain the factual and legal basis for the charges against the 27 human rights defenders with past and present connections to CERNET and to provide updates on the human rights defenders’ judicial process.
They also asked for the specific measures taken to ensure that human rights defenders, humanitarian workers and other members of civil society in the Philippines can carry out their legitimate work in a safe and enabling environment, without fear of harassment and intimidation from authorities.
The UN mandate holders also asked the Philippine government to explain measures will be taken to investigate the dissemination by the police of false information on Estrella Catarata, one of CERNET’s founders and currently the executive director of Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya (SIBAT) Inc.
Catarata had been tagged in a government press conference and a Facebook post by the police as the leader of a terrorist group and the “Top 1 Most Wanted Person in the Central Visayas.”
Read: Military accuses Cebu-based NGO of terrorist links
Read: Civil societies sound alarm over gov’t use of terror financing charges to paralyze their services
The UN mandate holders said that under the UN Human Rights Council Resolution 22/6 on protecting human rights defenders, “States are urged to ensure that measures to combat terrorism and preserve national security are in compliance with their obligations under international law and do not hinder the work and safety of individuals, groups and organs of society engaged in promoting and defending human rights.”
Meanwhile, the Philippine government has failed to substantially respond to the points raised by the UN experts.
The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 has been used not only against CERNET but also other non-government organizations and individuals who are critical of the government. Under the law, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) is authorized to investigate either upon its initiative or at the request of the Anti Terrorism Council any property or funds related to financing terrorism or those where probable cause is believed to be committed or conspired to commit finance terrorism or acts of terror.
Read:Government’s counterinsurgency plan and terror financing law against rights defenders
Under Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the government’s counterinsurgency plan is aimed at quelling people’s resistance and would “strengthen its action” against what it referred to as “legal fronts” of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the NPA, and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
“The Government shall enhance its capacity and capabilities in targeting the financial apparatus of terrorists in the country,” read the document titled, National Security Policy 2023-2028.
The recent case of the terrorism financing law was filed against Alaiza Mari Lemita who was accused of “delivering cooked rice and adobo to the New People’s Army ensuing a reported gunfight between the revolutionary forces and the government troops in Nasugbu, Batangas. (RTS, JJE)
