Hundreds protest in Philippines to decry alleged injustices under Marcos Jnr
- Human rights group Karapatan said under the Marcos administration’s counter-insurgency campaign, it documented at least 17 cases of extrajudicial killings
- UN Human Rights Council has urged the Marcos administration to address the killings and other rights abuses
Hundreds of people marched in the Philippine capital on Saturday protesting what they said was a rising number of extrajudicial killings and other injustices under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr.
The protesters, led by a Philippines-based rights group, gathered at a public square in Manila before marching toward the presidential palace to demand justice for victims. Police estimated around 800 protesters took part in the rally, which coincided with International Human Rights Day.
Cristina Palabay of the rights group Karapatan said under the Marcos administration’s counter-insurgency campaign, the group has documented at least 17 cases of extrajudicial killings in addition to four other incidents of violence where victims survived.
The number of political prisoners continues to rise, with 828 detained as of November 30, Palabay said, noting that at least 25 of them were arrested after Marcos took office in June.
“Despite these sordid figures there has been zero justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings,” Palabay said in a statement. “The culture of impunity continues to rear its ugly head.”