FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2026
Ottawa, ON
The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) Canada held high-level meetings on April 29 and 30, 2026, with Canadian government representatives to raise urgent concerns regarding the escalating human rights situation in the Philippines, particularly in the context of deepening Canada–Philippines military relations.
The four-person delegation, accompanying peasant leader Danilo Ramos, Chairperson of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP/Peasant Movement of the Philippines),included Drew Eisenberg-Holmes (ICHRP), Rosie Lucente (OCHRP), and Kelti Cameron (CUPE International Solidarity Officer).
On April 29, the delegation met with Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights (SDIR). On April 30, they met with Alan Bowman, Director General for Southeast Asia and Oceania at Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
These meetings provided critical opportunities for direct engagement, allowing Canadian officials to hear firsthand testimony from Ramos, who spoke as a key witness to the worsening conditions faced by peasant farmers, Indigenous communities, and human rights defenders in the Philippines.
Ramos detailed the intensifying militarization of rural communities, where counterinsurgency operations have resulted in widespread displacement, harassment, and violence. He emphasized that these conditions are rooted in longstanding issues of landlessness, poverty, and systemic repression, and are exacerbated by foreign military support.
“Danilo Ramos is not just a representative, he is the face and voice of millions of Filipino peasants whose daily struggle is for land, food, and justice,” said Kelti Cameron.“ His testimony underscores the urgent need for international accountability and meaningful action.”
During the meetings, ICHRP Canada submitted its latest briefing paper titled “Corruption, Human Rights and Canada’s Deepening Military Relations with the Philippines”, which outlines concerns over Canadian military assistance and its potential implications for human rights violations on the ground. The delegation also raised its recent submission to the Prime Minister’s Office and Global Affairs Canada regarding ongoing military operations in Negros Occidental, where at least 19 individuals have reportedly been killed in recent incidents.
ICHRP Canada welcomed the willingness of both SDIR and GAC officials to engage in dialogue and receive documentation. However, the organization stressed that listening must translate into concrete policy action.
For Danilo Ramos and the communities he represents, this international advocacy is a matter of survival. Their call is clear: land, food, and justice. ###
Media Contact: Drew Eisenberg-Holmes
info@ichrpcanada.org
ICHRP Canada delegation, Mr&Mrs Ramos with Mr. Alexis Duceppe, Vice-Chair, Sub-Human Rights Committee (SDIR)
Mr. Ramos with Mr. Alan Bowman, director general, Global Affairs Canada (GAC)