RIGHTS advocates and activists in Baguio City are asking Mayor Benjamin Magalong for help.
On the heels of pronouncements on safety of activists in the city, groups met with Magalong’s chief of staff, Philip Puzon, to seek help on issues on red tagging, security and understanding.
Puzon, however, told the group they have to prove they are not members of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army, which offended members of the Tongtongan ti Umili, Cordillera People’s Alliance, Cordillera Human Rights Alliance, Organisasyon dagiti Nakurapay nga Umili iti Siyudad (ORNUS), Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kabataan Partylist Cordillera and Dap-ayan ti Kultura iti Kordilyera.
Among those present in the meeting were Jeanette Ribaya Cawading, former awardee of the Outstanding Women Leader for her work to protect women and their rights and Joanna Patricia Kintanar Cariño, a 2019 Gwangju Human Rights awardee and Geraldine Cacho of the Tongtongan ti Umili, a Gawad Bangan awardee ng University of the Philippines.
The Gwangju Prize for Human Rights is an award given by the South Korean May 18 Memorial Foundation to recognize "individuals, groups or institutions in Korea and abroad that have contributed in promoting and advancing human rights, democracy and peace through their work.”
Puzon said the group is welcome in the city as long as they are not armed to pose a danger to society as well as saying military reports have made positive links to groups with the CPP –NPA.
However, Carino, Cawading, Cacho as well as CPA chair, Windel Bolingit patiently explained to the chief of staff the plight of activists who were red tagged and defended by the entire City Council, vouching for their innocence and clear intentions to help the city with their advocacies.
Puzon closed the meeting with a promise to read the letter from the group but was misplaced by the office of the mayor prior to the meeting.
The mayor’s chief of staff likewise asked for understanding on the issue and vowed to relay the matter to Magalong and set a date for a meeting with the same group next year hoping to be knowledgeable of the situation as well.
The letter reads “We, the undersigned organizations, institutions and individuals express concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in the Philippines. Particularly, we raise the alarm on the political vilification confronting progressive organizations and individuals that put their lives at risk. While we welcome your pronouncements assuring us of our safety, attacks like red-baiting and vilification still persist.”
“As your constituents, we beseech the local government of Baguio City to support the call to stop political vilification and other smear campaign against human rights defenders and activists,” the letter added.
The group also asked Magalong to pass an executive order against the vilification of activists and mark the Human Rights Defenders Protection Ordinance as an urgent legislative measure to ensure physical safety of human rights defenders, and abide by State obligations to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including access to justice, freedom of expression and of association.