Human Rights Day is annually observed by the International Community on the 10th of December. On the same day in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. More than that, this day serves as a pivotal moment to register the calls of justice and accountability for the victims of human rights violations.
As repressive regimes continue to grip the country and its people, the list of human rights victims continues and will only continue to lengthen. On this day, take a look back at how the Philippines became shackled by human rights abuses.
Vanished without a trace
“Surface all desaparecidos!”
Up to this day, the call for justice for the victims of involuntary disappearance ceaselessly echoes, pressuring the government to take action immediately. Along the streets, or in front of the gates of various institutions, human rights advocates and relatives of the desaparecidos stand firmly on the ground, holding their placards in hopes of finding their missing kin.
The phenomenon of the desaparecidos in the Philippines has notoriously surged during the dictatorship under the regime of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Activists, unionists, and journalists are abducted, often detained in secret, or worse, killed.
In a statement from the human rights group Karapatan, Secretary General Cristina Palabay said that more than 1,000 individuals disappeared during the Marcos Sr. dictatorship, 821 under the Cory Aquino regime, 39 under Ramos, 26 under Estrada, 20 under Arroyo, 9 under Noynoy Aquino, and about 20 under Duterte’s iron-clad presidency.
As of November 2, which also marks the Day of the Remembrance for the Disappeared, about 14 individuals under the Marcos Jr. regime have gone missing through this heinous tactic of the state.
Despite the enactment of Republic Act No. 10353 (Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act 2012), enforced disappearances have continuously persisted in the country.
From heroine to villain
Leaving without any choice, Filipinos are often pushed to go abroad, seeking a better job that could alleviate the poverty they endured. For their family's comfort, they left their homes and took the opportunity that awaited them in a foreign country.
Perhaps that’s what Mary Jane Veloso hoped for when she traveled to Indonesia in April 2010 to find a job as a domestic worker.
Unaware of what awaited her at the airport of Yogyakarta, Veloso carried the suitcase given by her recruiter, believing it contained clothes and other personal items. It was then that upon arriving that the truth was revealed: Veloso was arrested by Customs and Excise authorities due to possession of 2.6 kilos of heroin, enough to earn a death sentence under Indonesian law.
The case of Mary Jane Veloso attests to how Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), especially Filipina migrant workers, are vulnerable to syndicates of human trafficking and other forms of human rights abuses. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) Asia Pacific, at least 18,002 or 75% of the 24, 000 cases of abuses received by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in 2020 involved female overseas migrant workers.
Although Veloso is finally going home, the fight for justice remains ongoing as her fate depends on clemency from President Bongbong Marcos Jr.
System in crisis
Extrajudicial killings (EJKs) continue to plague the Philippines, with thousands killed during Duterte's "War on Drugs" and reports of continuing violence under Marcos Jr.'s administration. Under this campaign, many individuals, mostly poor and from marginalized communities, have been killed without trial, with many deaths occurring under suspicious circumstances.
One recent case is the killing of 17-year-old Jemboy Baltazar, shot dead by police in August 2024. Authorities claimed his alleged involvement in drug activities and resisted arrest, leading to the fatal encounter. However, evidence and witness testimonies stated that Jemboy was unarmed and not involved in drugs, highlighting the widespread issue of police abuse and the lack of accountability in law enforcement.
His case echoes the countless other lives lost to the brutal anti-drug campaign, with families left to navigate a justice system that offers little to no hope. While the International Criminal Court (ICC) continues to investigate these killings and urges the Marcos administration to ensure accountability, progress remains slow—and the lack of meaningful reforms shows that impunity is still deeply entrenched.
Until the government takes concrete steps to hold perpetrators accountable, the cycle of violence will persist, leaving families in a constant search for justice.
Journalism under siege
Journalists in the Philippines face significant threats, as the country remains one of the most dangerous place for media practitioners. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranked the Philippines eighth in its 2023 global impunity index, a slight decline from seventh place in 2022.
Since the restoration of democracy in 1986, nearly 200 journalists have been killed, many in the last two decades. This tragic toll continues to rise under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration, underscoring the risks journalists face for simply doing their jobs—speaking the truth. These killings are not just attacks on individuals, but direct assaults on the fundamental human right to freedom of expression and access to information, fueling growing concerns over press freedom in the country.
A recent example of this tragic trend is the killing of Juan Jumalon, a broadcaster from Calamba, Misamis Occidental. While hosting a live radio show, armed men broke into his home studio. One held a staff member at gunpoint while the other shot Jumalon dead.
Jumalon’s murder is yet another example of the ultimate price paid by media workers for their dedication to the truth. If the government continues to fail in protecting journalists, the cycle of violence will only deepen.
The fight for press freedom in the Philippines is a fight for the soul of its democracy. The voices of the press must not be silenced—because when they are, so too is the truth.
Unyielding struggle
While December 10th marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it also serves as a solemn reminder of the countless individuals still waiting for justice in a world where human rights violations continue to run rampant. In the Philippines, this day should echo the cries of those whose voices have been silenced by enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the murder of journalists—reminding us that the fight for human rights is far from over.
From the horrors of involuntary disappearances to the violence against journalists, the country’s human rights crisis demands urgent action. The relentless abuse of power, particularly under the current administration, perpetuates a culture of impunity that erodes the very foundation of democracy.
Human Rights Day is more than a commemoration, but an urgent call to action. It is a reminder that the fight for justice is not just for those who have suffered but for the future of the nation itself. Until those in power take responsibility for these atrocities, until the voices of dissent are no longer silenced, we cannot claim to honor the essence of human rights.
The Philippines is at a crossroads, and it is up to us to ensure that the voices of the oppressed and the voiceless are heard.
Article: Yzabelle Liwag and Kriza Marielle Sumang
Graphics: Kent Bicol
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