Anti-Terror Law @ 4: A Press Conference by the Defend NGOs Alliance

𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘

𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗡𝗚𝗢𝘀 𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘

𝗝𝗨𝗟𝗬 𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰

Photo by Charles Perez/ Pinoy Weekly

𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗲 𝗡𝗚𝗢 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀

Beleaguered non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations (POs) held a press conference today, July 2, 2024, to denounce increasing attacks on development workers and NGOs.

“Attacks on social development NGOs are worsening under Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr’s watch,” says Jazmin Jerusalem, Executive Director of the Leyte Center for Development (LCde) and spokesperson of the Defend NGO Alliance. “The government is judicially harassing more development workers and organizations with weaponized anti-terrorism measures than the previous Duterte administration,” says Jerusalem, “which disrupts relief, livelihood and social services for millions of beneficiaries nationwide.”

The president has postured as a human rights champion, yet the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) is freezing assets and properties of NGOs on unfounded accusations of providing financial and material support to terrorists. NGO staff are designated as terrorists. Others are bizarrely accused of attempted murder.

At least 59 development workers and 21 NGOs or networks in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are being harassed with spurious charges related to terrorism. Fifty-five (55) individuals from 19 organizations are baselessly accused of financing or otherwise supporting terrorism. Another four (4) NGO workers are absurdly claimed of engaging government soldiers in firefights or ambushing a security guard. Most of these trumped-up complaints and cases have been lodged during the Marcos Jr administration.

These confirm the dangers of red-tagging. These NGOs were all previously vilified, subjected to surveillance, and harassed with a few also having members extrajudicially killed. These attacks violate their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, which are essential components of democracy.

“The government’s harassment of NGOs stops them from helping communities and hurts the well-being of so many in need,” Jerusalem said. She also stressed that the NGOs being attacked have served communities for decades and brought real and tangible improvements to millions of poor, marginalized and vulnerable Filipinos.

LCDe’s projects are among those that were stopped when the AMLC froze their bank accounts without any valid reason nor explanation. Jerusalem laments that “over 16,000 people from 2,800 families in 11 beneficiary barangays were denied health services and another 35,000 people were prevented from availing disaster response assistance.” She said these projects use funds from NGOs supported by German taxpayers.

The Paghidaet sa Kauswagan Development Group (PDG) is also harassed with unfounded accusations of supporting terrorists and financing terrorist activities. Isidro Genol, Jr. of PDG said that this has stifled services to some 3,300 people from 655 poor households in seven municipalities. He adds: “Fear and anxiety are affecting the morale and ability of staff and community members and hindering their work, while supporters are now worried about the repercussions of helping PDG.”

Jerusalem points out that “Pres. Marcos is keeping the National Task Force to End Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) despite recommendations from two UN Special Rapporteurs to disband the task force for being used against human rights defenders, humanitarian workers and development NGOs.” The UN special rapporteur on climate change is delivering this recommendation at the ongoing 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Defend NGO Alliance calls on the Philippine government to stop attacking NGOs and peoples’ organizations and recognize their contributions to community and national development. Jerusalem recalled that “Pres. Marcos started his term with a promise to give highest regard to human rights and to seek a high level of accountability for human rights violations,” but stressed that “human rights violations against NGOs and so many other rights defenders are stark testimony of the exact opposite.” ###

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Jazmin Jerusalem