cpa@cpaphils.org | Post Office Box 975 Baguio City 2600 Philippines
BAGUIO CITY- The Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) commends and thanks the recent resolution of the Baguio City Council “urging the government of the republic of the Philippines to drop the terrorist tag against human rights defenders of Baguio City”. The resolution filed by Councilors Arthur Art Allad-iw and Faustino Olowan was met with a unanimous decision by the council last Monday.
Last February 21, 2018 the Department of Justice filed a proscription petition versus the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New Peoples Army tagging them as terrorists. The DOJ included 650 movants as members of the CPP-NPA such as Victoria Tauli Corpuz (United Nations Special Raporteur on Indigenous Peoples), Joan Carling (coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples Major Group under the UN Sustainable Development Goals), Atty. Jose Molintas (former member of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples), Beverly Longid (gobal coordinator for the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self- Determination and Liberation), Joanna Carino (member of the CPA Advisory Council and SANDUGO co-chairperson), Jeanette Ribaya Cawiding (past chairperson of Tongtongan ti Umili and present coordinator of the Conferederation for Unity Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees) and Windel Bolinget (present chairperson of the CPA).
In the resolution, it reads that “the above individuals are residents of the City, never joined the revolutionary groups but are passionate and active in their advocacy on human rights and the indigenous peoples rights both locally and internationally.”
The city council resolution comes along with the wave of solidarity protests and statements coming from organisations and individuals here and abroad.
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Reference:
Bestang Dekdeken, Secretary General
