human rights first Defender Alert
The New Name of Lawyers Committee for Human Rights


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The short explanation of this alert was:

On March 10, Siche Bustamante-Gandinao was on her way home with her husband and daughter, with their harvested crops in an oxcart. Just 50 yards from a military camp, a man overtook them, turned, and shot Siche four times. She died before reaching the hospital.

What sets this case apart from that of hundreds of local activists shot by unidentified gunmen in the Philippines in recent years was that during the recent visit of the U.N. Special Representative on Extrajudicial Killings, Gandinao courageously gave testimony about the recent killing of her father-in-law.

Last month, we asked you to call on the government of the Philippines to release the report of an official commission examining this escalation in unresolved killings. That report has now been released, and the government has proposed several measures in response.

Unfortunately, Gandinao's death clearly demonstrates that the Philippines has yet to take the necessary action to halt the attacks on activists. Please urge the government of the Philippines to:

  • Identify the perpetrators of this crime and prosecute them promptly and effectively;
  • Take effective steps to ensure the safety of Ms. Gandinao's family and of all other witnesses who may be at risk due to their testimony; and
  • Take affirmative steps to end the labeling of legal organizations as "enemies of the state," and stop the targeting of non-violent activists as part of counterinsurgency operations.


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