NGO to hold march in Cebu, rest of the country

CEBU, Philippines — As the country commemorates the 75th anniversary of the International Declaration of Human Rights today, December 10, 2023, Karapatan-Central Visayas says that ironically, Filipinos continue to face “Imperialist war and political persecution” in the country.

Today, the group in Cebu will march together with other human rights advocates and defenders all over the country to amplify their call “to stop the killings, abductions, enforced disappearances, torture, illegal arrest and detention, fake and forced surrender, bombings, threats, red-tagging, and other forms of human rights violations and violations on international humanitarian law.”

“We will march to strengthen our clamor to free all political prisoners including NDFP consultants. In the midst of worsening poverty, with firm resolve, we will forward and fight for our political and economic rights, including our right to access free and quality basic social services,” the group said, in a statement.

Karapatan-Central Visayas added that they will condemn the Marcos Jr.-Duterte regime and the role of “US imperialist on its destructive counter-insurgency policy as an intervention in our country and in Asia-Pacific.”

“We will hold them accountable for their crimes against the Filipino people,” said the group in their statement.

“We will enjoin the people to persist in the struggle for just and lasting peace, as we pursue calls for the resumption of the GRP-NDFP peace talks,” the group added.

The group will march today at 9 in the morning from Fuente Osmeña to Gaisano Metro Colon where they will hold their main program. — (FREEMAN)