An executive of a developmental NGO in Negros Oriental has welcomed the statement of five UN Rapporteurs criticizing the Philippine government for weaponizing anti-terror laws against humanitarian workers.
Nancy Ugsad-Estolloso, executive director of Tuburan for Rural Women Empowerment & Development Inc., is one of 27 development workers facing charges of “financing terrorism” by giving P123,000 to the New People’s Army in 2012.
“As one of the falsely- accused, I welcome the UN’s intervention in our case. I hope the government takes the UN statement seriously, and reaffirm its commitment to upholding and promoting human rights, including women’s rights, especially as it campaigns for membership in the UN Security Council,” Estolloso said.
Five UN experts have issued the statement, saying this is a “deliberate mis-application” of security legislation to silence civil society.
The signatories of the statement were Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders; Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and association; Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights; Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls; and Laura Nyirinkindi, chair of the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls.
“These actions seem to demonstrate a deliberate misapplication of counter-terrorism legislation, including CFT law [Combating the Financing of Terrorism], for the purpose of discrediting legitimate human rights and humanitarian activities,” the experts said.
“The targeting of these human rights defenders and humanitarian workers through intimidation, reputational harm and criminalization is of particular concern, as it appears to be in direct retaliation for their legitimate and peaceful activities promoting economic, social and cultural rights in the Philippines,” they added.
The UN experts also said the practice of ‘Red-tagging’ the accused normalizes violence against activists, and creates an environment where extrajudicial killings can occur with impunity.
The communication was sent to the Philippine government in August but was made public only on Nov. 15.
The UN mandate-holders challenged the legal basis for the cases against current and former members of the Community Empowerment Resource Network (CERNet), a Cebu-based organization serving marginalized communities in the Visayas, of which the Tuburan Foundation is a member.
Established in 2001, CERNet consists of nine humanitarian organizations working to support marginalized communities through grassroots initiatives across the Visayas region.
The charges were filed by Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, commander of the Army’s 302nd Brigade.
In a press conference earlier this year, General Escanillas, however, said some of those charged may not have been directly involved in the terrorism activity but were included because they head the groups that were unknowingly used to obtain the funds for the terror groups.
Estolloso said she is confident they will be acquitted, as the evidence against them is baseless and flimsy.
She also made an appeal to their accuser, Gen. Joey Escanillas, to “stop pressuring local government officials in the Province to avoid engaging or partnering with civil society organizations like ours” in Negros Oriental.
“This undue interference hinders our ability to provide essential services to the people. We have been a part of the LGUs from the beginning. General Escanillas’ actions—shaming and Red-tagging us on social media—have endangered my life, the lives of my staff, and my fellow-accused, violating our fundamental rights,” Estolloco told the MetroPost.
