Duterte Dirty Dozen

Duterte Dirty Dozen

PRES. DUTERTE

ICHRP Launches Magnitsky Sanction Campaign on PH Human Rights Violators

By Lea Luciano
The Philippine Reporter

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) launched its global campaign on March 29, 2022, calling out government officials including President Rodrigo Duterte for gross human rights violations.

The Dirty Dozen Magnitsky Sanction Campaign holds 12 individuals named by Investigate PH accountable for the unlawful killings of alleged drug suspects, political activists, Moro peoples, Indigenous peoples leaders, and human rights defenders.

PETER MURPHY, Chairperson of ICHRP-Australia

“The war on dissent, the war on the Moro People, the war on the Indigenous peoples, we want these 12 people sanctioned for their alleged crimes through the application of national Magnitsky laws also known as justice for victims for corrupt foreign officials,” said Peter Murphy, Chairperson of ICHRP-Australia.

“The doctrine of command or superior responsibility imposes criminal liability on officials for the unlawful acts of subordinates where the superior knew or had reason to know of the unlawful acts or failed to prevent or punish those acts.”

The widespread killings carried out by the police and military forces under Duterte’s command have been brought to his attention by the United Nations, Investigate PH Commissioners, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch.

“The continuing public statements of Duterte and his top subordinates have denied or downplayed the alleged illegality of police actions showing no inclinations or intent to investigate these alleged crimes,” said Murphy.

SEN. BATO DE LA ROSA

Under the Magnitsky Laws, it calls to sanction any foreign nationals responsible for violations of internationally recognized human rights in a foreign country when authorities in that country are unable or unwilling to conduct a thorough, independent and objective investigation of the violations.

This campaign is a follow-up to the work of Investigate PH which examined the widespread violence and systemic human rights violation in the Philippines under Duterte’s administration.

The 12 individuals included in the Dirty Dozen identified by Investigate PH:

• President Rodrigo Duterte and former Philippine National Police Chief Ronald “Bato” De La Rosa

• Gen. Diebold Sinas, General Jose Faustino Jr., General Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr, Delfin Negrillo Lorenzana and General Eduardo Año

• Bong Go, Harry Roque, Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert and Lorraine Badoy
These individuals used their positions of power to orchestrate, perpetrate, and participate in the alleged human rights violations, state repression, extrajudicial killings and continuous red-tagging of individuals expressing dissent in the government.

“There is overwhelming evidence that the Duterte government has been responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people,” said Senator Janet Rice of Australian Greens.

GEN. ANTONIO PARLADE JR

“National governments must act to sanction those who commit serious human rights violations to hold the architects of this terror to account.”

This global campaign by ICHRP is endorsed by Migrante International, Malaya Movement and by ASTM which is the Asia and The Middle East responsible partnerships organization based in Luxembourg.

According to the statement by ASTM, “through its partnership with various Philippine civil society organizations, [ASTM] has witnessed an increase in human rights violations in the country in recent years. Nevertheless, those responsible for these violations continued to benefit from the climate of impunity that prevails in the country. For the international and national human rights laws and conventions to be respected, coordinated action by civil society and the international community is required. ASTM endorses the new ICHRP campaign applying the Magnitsky Law to Philippine perpetrators of crimes against humanity. Those who planned, supported, and abetted these crimes must be held accountable.”