Reina Mei Nasino worked for Kadamay, an urban poverty organization in the Philippines. She and two fellow activists were arrested in November 2019 on charges of illegally possessing firearms and explosives, which were planted by police. While in confinement, Reina gave birth to a daughter. She was denied access to her child to care or breastfeed her. Baby River was separated from her mother and died two months later.

In stark contrast to the cruel treatment of Reina and her baby was the absolute pardon granted by the Philippine government to U.S. Marine Scott Pemberton, who was tried and convicted of killing transwoman Jennifer Laude in 2014.

A U.S. citizen, Brandon Lee, was a target of an attempted assassination by the Philippine military due to his work in environmental justice against the harm of corporate mining to indigenous lands and communities. He is now recovering from his injuries in the U.S.

Since he took office, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called “War on Drugs” has taken the lives of over 30,000 Filipinos. Duterte maintains his rule via the Anti-Terror Law, with its nebulous definitions on what constitutes terrorism. The executive branch of government red-tags, arrests and jails individuals for any dissent towards the government, including members of the press. The co-founder of the online newspaper Rappler, Maria Ressa, has been imprisoned for exposing Duterte’s many abuses.

These are just some of the many instances of human rights abuses in the Philippines funded by the tax dollars of U.S. citizens. Last budget year, the U.S. provided approximately $428 million in military and security assistance and guaranteed $2 billion in loans for weapons and vehicles. How much more will U.S. citizens and taxpayers contribute to these violations of human rights?

The Hawaii International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, in unity with ICHRP-US, stands with the Filipino people’s struggle for peace, genuine land reform, social and economic justice, true independence and freedom from foreign intervention. We are part of the global movement to defend human rights in the Philippines, Hawaii, the United States, and around the globe.

Now, with the recent introduction of the Philippine Human Rights Act (PHRA) in Congress, we have a mechanism for accountability.

If passed, this law would:

>> Suspend U.S. military aid and prevent loans to the Philippine military and national police until human rights abuses cease and respect for the rule of law are reinstated.

>> Require the U.S. State and Defense departments to jointly monitor and report abuses including extra-judicial killings, intimidation, illegal sales and misappropriation of funds.

Today, on this International Human Rights Day, we must expose the human rights crises in the Philippines and halt any more abuses and violations by urging our local, state and federal representatives and senators to push for the adoption of the PHRA. We should not tolerate these abuses — or pay for them — any longer.

Patrick Gill Pua is an intern for the Hawaii International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (HICHRP); Richard Rothschiller, a psychologist and community activist, is a HICHRP member.