There are over 600 political prisoners in the Philippines. Despite dangerous overcrowding, terrible conditions, and the looming pandemic which has already killed several prisoners, the Philippine state refuses to grant release.
In light of this, the Canada section of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP Canada) has recently launched our campaign for the release of all political prisoners in the Philippines. We invited speakers from several organizations in the Philippines and abroad to speak on the situation of human rights defenders, political prisoners, youth, women, and more.
Speakers:
- MC: Japhet Ndhlovu, ICHRP Canada board member, of the United Church of Canada
- Panelist A: Jigs Clamor, Deputy Secretary General of KARAPATAN, the Philippines-wide human rights alliance
- Panelist B: Fides Lim, Spokesperson of Kapatid – Friends and Family of Political Prisoners in the Philippines
- Panelist C: Chris “Perry” Sorio, Chairperson of BAYAN Canada
- Special guest speaker: Zoe of the National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates (NNARA-Youth)
- Campaign speaker: Benjamin of Canada-Philippines Solidarity Organization
- Solidarity message: Charlotte of Samidoun, the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
- Next steps: Doug Booker, Secretary-General of ICHRP-Canada
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction from Japhet, ICHRP Canada
4:19 Introducing Jigs Clamor, KARAPATAN
5:51 Jigs Clamor: Human rights situationer in the Philippines
16:57 Introducing Fides Lim, Kapatid
18:07 Fides Lim: Condition of PH political prisoners and objectives of Kapatid
39:41 Introducing Chris “Perry” Sorio, BAYAN Canada
40:06 Chris Sorio: Experiences as a former political prisoner under the Marcos regime
46:12 Q&A Session
1:00:21 Zoe, NNARA-Youth: Situation in Negros Island, Philippines & Karina’s case
1:11:17 Benjamin, CPSO: ICHRP Canada Campaign to Free All Political Prisoners
1:17:40 Charlotte, Samidoun: Solidarity statement from the Palestinian movement
1:26:13 Doug Booker, ICHRP Canada: Next steps in the campaign