Jonila and Jhed’s decision to pursue countercharges is not merely a step toward their personal vindication but a powerful statement against the forces that seek to silence dissent. It serves as a call for accountability and the protection of human rights defenders who continue to advocate for marginalized communities and environmental justice.
NUPL | Dec 5, 2024
His statements only reinforce the reasonable belief that he is most responsible for crimes against humanity committed in the Philippines in the context of the “war on drugs”. And that in effect, he intends to deprive victims of their chance at accountability for thousands of killings.
Let us set the record straight: the conviction of the four Caloocan City police officers is the culmination of a long and arduous struggle for justice within an entrenched architecture of impunity in the Philippines.
Today’s triumph is a comfort to the family of Luis and Gabriel Lois and a sigh of relief for us, the private prosecutors, our clients and friends in Rise Up for Life and for Rights, and others who supported this quest for justice. However, in terms of scale, today’s legal victory is just a footnote in a bloody chapter that has yet to end as bodies continue to pile up until today.
