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Report
Above the Law: Police Torture in the Philippines
A pervasive culture of impunity is allowing torture by police to go unchecked in the Philippines. Despite the country’s ratification of the two key international anti-torture treaties, methods such as electrocution, mock executions, waterboarding, asphyxiating with plastic bags, beatings and rape continue to be employed by officers who torture for extortion and to extract confessions.
December 2, 2014
Press Release
Amnesty International Launches Worldwide Campaign to Expose Global Crisis on Torture
Amnesty International today launched a new campaign against torture and other ill-treatment, from Chicago to Guantanamo to Nigeria and around the world.
May 12, 2014
Report
Annual Report: Philippines 2013
Republic of the Philippines Head of state and government Benigno S. Aquino III Human rights defenders and journalists were at risk of unlawful killings, and thousands of cases of grave human rights violations remained unresolved. Victims of human rights violations, including during martial law from 1972 to 1981, continued to be denied justice, truth and reparations. In April, the Philippines acceded to the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture, but had not yet established the required mechanism to monitor treatment of detainees. Access to reproductive health care remained restricted; a new Reproductive Health Law was enacted in December.…
May 23, 2013
Press Release
‘Cybercrime’ Law in the Philippines Rolls Back Protection for Free Speech
A new ‘cybercrime’ law in the Philippines poses serious risks to freedom of expression and must be reviewed, Amnesty International said.
October 5, 2012
Press Release
Amnesty International Calls on Philippine Senators to Vote to Join International Criminal Court
Amnesty International today called on Philippine Senators to vote in favor of ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), helping the fight against impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes worldwide.
August 17, 2011
Report
Annual Report: Philippines 2011
Head of state and government: Benigno S. Aquino III (replaced Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in June) Death penalty: abolitionist for all crimes Population: 93.6 million Life expectancy: 72.3 years Under-5 mortality (m/f): 32/21 per 1,000 Adult literacy: 93.6 per cent More than 200 cases of enforced disappearances recorded in the last decade remained unresolved, as did at least 305 cases of extrajudicial execution (with some estimates ranging as high as 1,200). Almost no perpetrators of these crimes have been brought to justice. Private armed groups continued to operate throughout the country, despite government commitments to disband and disarm them. Despite its 2010…
July 7, 2011
Report
Annual Report: Philippines 2010
Head of state and government Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Death penalty abolitionist for all crimes Population 92 million Life expectancy 71.6 years Under-5 mortality (m/f) 32/21 per 1,000 Adult literacy 93.4 per cent With 2010 as the self-imposed deadline by the government to "crush" the communist insurgency, the military failed to differentiate between New People's Army (NPA) fighters and civilian activists and human rights defenders in rural areas, resulting in displacement and unlawful killings. The military subjected civilians to secret detention, torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Both sides carried out politically motivated killings and enforced disappearances. A culture of…
March 19, 2011