Malaya Canada launched: Canadian gov’t urged to act on PH rights situation

Malaya Canada launched: Canadian gov’t urged to act on PH rights situation

By Ysh Cabana
The Philippine Reporter

Malaya Canada, movement against killings and dictatorship in the Philippines, announced its initiative to pressure the federal government to look into the current national situation in the Philippines as part of its “official countrywide launch” on September 20, 2020.

Hundreds of participants, including labour and community leaders from various organizations, are sending a letter to Prime MInister Justin Trudeau to “aid in the establishment of independent mechanisms to monitor and investigate human rights violations” under President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Philippines was subject of a UN human rights council resolution that criticized his hallmark anti-illegal drug campaign. According to Malaya Canada, the situation was even made worse by the passage of the Philippine “Anti-Terror” Law” amid the global pandemic.

“This law gives the government greater impunity to crack down on all critics, activists, and dissenters. The recent killings of human rights defenders confirmed the fears of the UN Human Rights Commissioner and human rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that the “Anti-Terror” Law is dangerous and a setback for human rights,” the group said in a statement.

Loida Nicolas-Lewis,
guest speaker

Meanwhile in the US, 50 senators of the US Congress called on the Philippine Ambassador to ask Duterte and the Philippine Congress to repeal this Law. In the Philippines, at least 25 petitions have been submitted by various groups to the Supreme Court to repeal the law for being unconstitutional and illegal.

Filipino-American Loida Nicolas-Lewis, Malaya supporter and a philanthropist warned that Duterte is like former dictator Marcos Martial Law in “weaponizing” the law to go after its enemies.

Detained Senator Leila De Lima said through her Chief of Staff Fhilip Sawali that she is glad that overseas Filipinos are now becoming enlightened about the abuses of the government.

“And, so we will not relent. We will not slacken, confident as we are that our continued resistance and growing solidarity are the wellsprings of hope for our people in our collective struggle to end the culture of impunity and the climate of fear,” wrote de Lima, one of Duterte’s staunchest critics, in a letter on the occasio

Marissa Corpus, spokesperson, Malaya Canada

The launch of Malaya Canada included groups Global Pinoy Diaspora, Bayan and Migrante Canada, Malaya Movement US and Seattle, Filipino American Alliance for Human Rights, Filipino Canadian Students Association, and Philippine Arts and Culture. Former Manitoba MLA Flor Marcelino and spouse Orli Marcelino also shared a message of support. Artists, Han Han, Lyla Luciano, Nik and Lyn Plaza, Patria Rivera, Belinda Corpuz, and Pordalab, and others likewise greeted the historic online gathering with songs, poetry, music and spoken word.

Malaya Canada chapters are now active in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and Winnipeg.

Spokesperson Marissa Corpus said Filipinos in the diaspora still care what is happening in the Philippines and urge them to keep up the fight despite being overseas.

“Remember, democracy dies in darkness. Let us keep the light shining in our fight for democracy and justice.”