The Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG), joins human rights defenders (HRDs) and development workers in reiterating the call to junk the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (ATA) and the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 (TFPSA).
“On its 6th year of implementation, the ATA alongside the TFPSA have been used to attack development workers and HRDs, compromising development work and people’s right to development. CPDG is one of the 37 petitioners that questioned the constitutionality of the ATA, and its dangerous provisions prone to abuse and misuse targeting development workers and HRDs,” says Maria Jennifer Guste, CPDG National Coordinator.
“The Supreme Court in 2020 argued that there is no facial evidence to substantiate the claim of CPDG and other petitioners. Yet after six years, there is more than enough facial evidence to merit the repeal of this draconian bill. It maligned development workers and HRDs including their families, subjecting them to mental and psychological stresses, and denying them of their right to property, livelihood, including right to health,” adds Guste.
Communities have also been subjected to threats and harassment. Communities reported state forces approaching community leaders to testify against NGOs, and accused development workers and officers of the Community Empowerment and Resource Network (CERNET), Leyte Center for Development, Inc. (LCDe), Paghidaet sa Kauswagan Development Group, Inc. (PDG), among others. “Thousands of families have been denied the livelihood and services provided by these NGOs. Ultimately the impact is borne by the poor communities, basic sectors served by these NGOs,” says Guste.
CPDG also called out President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. for reneging on his promise to upholding and putting the highest respect for human rights four years ago. The Philippines has been reported as one of the worst performers in ASEAN in human rights: in the quality of life or economic, social and cultural rights, in HRDs safety and security from state attacks, and freedoms of association and expression.
We ask the Philippine government to stand with the people, recognize CSOs as development actors and partners in development. Prioritize the legislation of a Human Rights Defenders Protection Law and laws that would improve people’s rights and welfare such as the Family Living Wage, Business and Human Rights Law, Genuine Agrarian Reform Law, Atin ang Kinse Law, Right to Adequate Food Law, among other laws that would address long standing issues of poverty and inequality.#