News Roundup 30 March 2022
Mar 30, 2022 • 5 min Read
Human rights coalition wants sanctions for Duterte, other Philippine officials | PHILSTAR.COM – A coalition of rights groups launched Tuesday a campaign to urge foreign governments to impose sanctions on President Rodrigo Duterte and other Philippine officials for allegedly violating human rights. The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines said in a statement that it will be working with the national governments of Australia, Canada, the US, the UK and the European Union for the imposition of Magnitsky sanctions on Philippine officials. “In the absence so far of genuine accountability for these crimes through international mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court and the UN Human Rights Council, ICHRP is launching a global campaign under national Magnitsky Acts to hold those responsible accountable for these widely documented crimes,” it said. Countries that have Magnitsky laws may impose punishment, ranging from travel bans to financial sanctions, on foreign nationals responsible for human rights violations or corruption in a foreign country. The US was the first to enact a Magnitsky law in 2012, three years after Sergei Magnitsky, a tax advisor who exposed corruption among Russian government officials, died while in prison. Aside from Duterte, the coalition is calling for sanctions on Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, both of whom ICHRP described as “architects of the war on drugs and campaign of state terror.” When he was Philippine National Police chief, Dela Rosa spearheaded the anti-illegal drugs campaign called “Oplan Tokhang,” which led to the deaths of thousands of drug suspects. ICHRP also wants foreign governments to impose sanctions on leaders of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including Gen. Debold Sinas, Gen. Jose Faustino Jr., Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana and Interior Sec. Eduardo Año. Likewise, the ICHRP wants Sen. Bong Go, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert and Lorraine Badoy sanctioned for being “part of the infrastructure of terror in the Duterte administration and participated in the public orchestration of alleged state repression.”
Robredo gets warm, crowded welcome in Eastern Visayas | INQUIRER.NET – Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential campaign got a boost from local officials during her slate’s tour of Eastern Visayas on Monday and Tuesday. Robredo was repeatedly surprised on seeing huge crowds at her rallies in the region — notably, the People’s Rally in Calbayog City in Samar, which, according to local officials, drew a crowd of over 7,000 individuals, and the Grand Rally in Catarman in Northern Samar, which drew a crowd of over 73,000. She also got the support of key officials — Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, who had already endorsed her candidacy; Northern Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan; Western Samar Vice Gov. Angelica Gomez; and 21 of 24 mayors of the Northern Samar towns who showed up at the sorties. “You know, I wasn’t expecting that not only would there be so many of you but that you would also be so happy and that you would give me such a warm welcome. So thank you very much,” Robredo said in Filipino at the Calbayog rally. “You know the campaign that we had grown accustomed to? The supporters would wait for the candidate to make a move. Wasn’t that how campaigns used to be? But now, even though, we haven’t seen and talked to each other, you all found a way to help in the campaign,” Robredo added. The huge crowds — who withstood both a rain shower and hot weather — were unprecedented, something that she did not see when she was running for vice president in 2016, she said. “How many hours have you been standing? Seven hours — and that when it was warm and it was raining. And you know, I have been here in Northern Samar several times, even when I was a candidate in 2016. But it’s only now that I have seen so many people,” Robredo said. “Thank you very much. Thank you very much to all of you,” she added.
Pangilinan explains absence in Eastern Samar rally | Manila Bulletin – Vice-presidential bet Senator Kiko Pangilinan on Wednesday, March 30, explained his absence from the Eastern Samar Grand People’s Rally in this city last night, saying it was because he wanted to ensure local officials will come out “in full force” for Vice President Leni Robredo. Pangilinan was visibly absent during the “Pink Wave Ha Este” Eastern Samar Grand People’s Rally along Baybay Boulevard on Tuesday, March 29, despite attending earlier sorties in Ormoc, Leyte and Naval, Biliran. “I was informed by our campaign HQ that the local officials in Eastern Samar wanted only to endorse VP Leni and not my candidacy and in order to ensure that the local political leaders came out in full force to show public support for her bid, I agreed not to attend,” he said in a statement sent to Manila Bulletin. “In certain localities, to borrow the term, for Leni to increase, I must decrease,” Pangilinan added. Some young Samareños chanted “We want Kiko!” and “Leni Kiko!” during the grand rally by the beach last night. “Nakakataba ng puso na hinahanap nila ako. Humihingi ako ng pasensya na rin na hindi ako nakadalo kagabi (It is heartwarming that they are looking for me. I apologize for not being there last night). Under a different set of political circumstances, I would have loved to see our kababayans (countrymen) and supporters in Eastern Samar,” the senator added.
