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| A relative of a victim of an extra-judicial killing attends a memorial mass ahead of All Soul's Day to remember loved ones slain in the government's war on drugs, at the Commission on Human Rights in Manila on October 29, 2021. (Photo by Jam Sta. Rosa/ AFP) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] MANILA: The candidate who will replace President Rodrigo Duterte as the leader of the Philippines should prioritize reversing policies that led to “unmitigated disaster for human rights,” New York-based watchdog Human Rights Watch said. HRW Asia director Brad Adams urged presidential candidates in the May elections to make human rights a priority issue by speaking out about the situation in the country, and steps that need to be taken to end ongoing violations and provide accountability for past abuses, PhilStar reported.
“The past six years of the Duterte administration have been an unmitigated disaster for human rights, namely the murderous ‘drug war,’ harassment of the media, and killing of ‘red-tagged’ activists,” Adams said Thursday. “The next administration should stop the killings, ensure accountability, and support laws that protect basic rights,” he added. In its World Report 2022, which reviews human rights practices in nearly 100 countries, HRW said that serious human rights abuses continued in the Philippines in 2021.
It cited the administration’s violent war on drugs, which has led to over 6,000 deaths in police operations, according to the government. But rights groups estimated the death toll to reach 30,000. HRW also observed an increase in attacks against activists, human rights defenders, and journalists.
