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MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The government of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has taken steps to to address human rights abuses in the country, including the killings of journalists and rights activists, a U.N. expert said Friday. Khan said she underscored the need for the Marcos administration to seek justice for rights victims under his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. She cited U.N. figures saying that at least 81 past killings of journalists in the Philippines have not been investigated and remain unresolved. He insisted that the task force Khan wants disbanded had helped weaken the communist insurgency in recent years, with just 1,500 guerrillas remaining. Once remaining guerrilla fronts have been dismantled, the task force would turn to promoting peace and national unity, Malaya said.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Irene Khan, Khan, Marcos, Rodrigo Duterte, ” Khan, ” Jonathan Malaya, Joeal Calupitan, Aaron Favila Organizations: United Nations, —, Communist Party of, New People’s Army, National Security Council, Associated Press Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Philippine, Manila, Malaya

Duterte also accused Marcos of being a drug addict. He has not commented on Duterte’s claim about lifting term limits, under which the president can serve only a single six-year term. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said Monday that Marcos was never on such a list, contrary to Duterte’s claim. Early last year, Marcos allowed an expansion of the U.S. military presence in the Philippines under a 2014 defense pact. Marcos led his own rally Sunday at a seaside park in Manila, which police said drew about 400,000 people after nightfall.

Persons: —, Rodrigo Duterte, Fernando Marcos Jr, Marcos, Ferdinand Marcos, Duterte, Martin Romualdez, Duterte’s, Sara, Marcos ’, who’s, ” Duterte, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, ” Marcos, “ Organizations: Criminal, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Philippine, Davao city, Washington, China, South China, Manila

☆ How the U.S. courted the Philippines to thwart China
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +14 min

What followed was two trips to the United States in less than a year for Marcos, and visits to the Philippines by high-ranking Biden administration officials. Marcos’ predecessor, the populist firebrand Rodrigo Duterte, was openly hostile to the United States and attempted to bring his country closer to communist China during his six-year term. For the United States, cementing alliances in the Asia-Pacific region is likewise crucial to keeping China in check. China’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement to Reuters, characterized China and the Philippines as “close neighbors across the sea” with a common interest in friendship. At the time, he said the cancellation of his visa was the latest in a list of “gripes and disrespect” by the United States.

Persons: Ferdinand “ Bongbong ” Marcos Jr, Joe Biden, Marcos, Gregorio Maria Araneta III, “, ” Araneta, Biden, Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken, Defense Lloyd Austin, Julio Amador III, Marcos ’, Rodrigo Duterte, China’s, Xi Jinping, ” Marcos ’, Ferdinand Marcos Sr, ”, Marcos family’s, Washington, Duterte, China “, Becca Wasser, Wasser, Barack Obama, Xi, “ I’ve, ” Duterte, Ronald “ Bato, dela Rosa, Dela Rosa, gripes, Toribio Adaci, hadn’t, Blake Herzinger, Herzinger Organizations: Reuters, U.S, Defense, ., Party, China, U.S . State Department, ” Reuters, Philippine, United, Foreign Ministry, ” ‘, People’s Liberation Army, Center, New, New American Security, CNAS, U.S . Department of Defense, U.S ., Initiative, Philippines National Economic Development Authority, United States, Philippine National Police, Washington, Forces, VFA, Mutual, China’s, U.S . Pacific Fleet, Cooperation Locations: Philippines, Philippine, Manila, United States, U.S, China, America, Asia, Taipei, Taiwan, Beijing, South, East Asia, Pacific, Washington, Hawaii, South China, It’s, American, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New American, Taiwan . U.S, Duterte, China’s, Guangdong

☆ Leila de Lima: Philippine court grants bail to fierce ‘war on drugs’ critic after six years in custody
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | Jinky Jorgio | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A Philippine court has granted bail for Leila De Lima, one of the most vocal critics of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody “war on drugs” after being held in police custody for over six years. Organizations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch have criticized De Lima’s detention, calling it “arbitrary” and demanding her immediate release. De Lima’s bail “must lead to dismissal of last bogus charge against her,” Amnesty International said in a statement on Monday. “The court’s granting of Leila de Lima’s bail application is indeed a welcome development. “Leila has been targeted by the government for her criticism of the murderous ‘war on drugs’ and other human rights violations.

Persons: Leila De Lima, Rodrigo Duterte’s, “, ” De Lima, Gener, Gito, Leila, ”, De Lima, De, de Lima, Leila de Lima, Eloisa Lopez, “ She’s, She’s, Leila de Lima’s, Butch Olano, “ Leila, expeditiously, ” Olano Organizations: CNN, United Nations, Human Rights, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reuters, Amnesty Locations: Muntinlupa City, De Lima, Muntinlupa, Philippines, Amnesty International Philippines

☆ Maria Ressa: Philippine Nobel laureate acquitted of last tax evasion charge
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Hong Kong CNN —Philippine Nobel Peace laureate Maria Ressa was acquitted of tax evasion Tuesday, according to her news site Rappler, in the latest legal victory for the veteran journalist. Ressa and Rappler are now cleared of all five tax-related charges filed during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, according to CNN affiliate CNN Philippines. “This is really a win not just for Maria … but a win for the Philippines,” Ressa’s lawyer Francis Lim told supporters outside Regional Trial Court in Pasig city. The ruling comes eight months after Ressa was cleared of four earlier counts of tax violations filed in 2018 by Duterte’s government. She won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, along with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, for her efforts to safeguard freedom of expression in the Philippines.

Persons: Maria Ressa, Ressa, Rodrigo Duterte, Maria …, ”, Francis Lim, Dmitry Muratov Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, CNN, CNN Philippines Locations: Hong Kong, Hong Kong CNN — Philippine, Philippines, Pasig city, “, Russian

☆ International Criminal Court rejects Philippine attempt to block drugs war killings probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The decision comes after the ICC said in January it would revive its investigation into possible “crimes against humanity” during Duterte’s tenure. More than 6,000 people have been killed in anti-drug operations since Duterte launched his controversial drug war soon after taking office in 2016, according to police data. Duterte’s administration and its successor under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. have pushed back against the ICC’s probe into drug war killings in the country, denouncing the investigations as unjust. The Philippines was formerly a signatory to the ICC but Duterte canceled the country’s membership after the court began probing his drug war. Remulla accused the ICC of having a “political agenda” to resume the investigation, and is an interference to the freedom and sovereignty of the country.

Persons: Rodrigo Duterte’s, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, ”, Duterte, Kristina Conti, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, pullout, Marcos Jr, Jesus Crispin Remulla, Remulla, ” Bryony Lau, “, Marcos Organizations: CNN, Criminal Court, ICC, Hague, Twitter, Duterte, Human Rights Locations: Philippine, Philippines, Manila, Asia

☆ Biden seeks closer ties with Philippines after ‘rocky’ past
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Biden also noted that the Philippines was among U.S. allies to quickly condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The “One China” policy recognizes Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taiwan. He has said he wants to pursue closer ties with China, which has also sought to court him. He sees a rising China as the most threatening economic and national security adversary to the United States. The elder Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law in 1972, a year before his term was to expire.

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