Project
Women in Pursuit of Justice
-
Amount Funded
24,998 EUROProject Duration
01 Nov 2021 - 31 Oct 2022 -
-
Lead organisation
Katinnulong Daguiti Umili iti Amian Inc. (KADUAMI)
-
KATINNULONG DAGUITI UMILI ITI AMIANAN (KADUAMI) is an Ilocano phrase which is translated as “People’s Partner in Northern Luzon”. It is a non-governmental and non-stock, non-profitorganization that has wide range and long-term experiences inimplementing projects in Northern Luzon, Philippines for over 37years. KADUAMI was established on October 04, 1983, after the FirstRegional Conference on Development Issues in Northern Luzon. Itwas registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July9, 1984.
KADUAMI’s work covers 3 regions in Northern Luzon Philippinesnamely: Cagayan Valley Region or Region II, Ilocos Region or RegionI, and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
KADUAMI envisions an empowered community that are able to assertbasic human rights, promote self-reliant, equitable and sustainabledevelopment and progressive culture. To help realize this vision,KADUAMI commits to contribute to the development of self-determining, self-reliant and inter-dependent communities in NorthernLuzon. To guide us through our development work are our COREVALUES that: 1. We are committed to uplift the situation of themarginalized sectors and communities; 2. We promote organized andactive people’s participation; 3. We are sensitive to indigenouspeoples and gender rights; 4. We work to contribute to social justiceand ecological stability. To achieve this, KADUAMI do capacity building, research, networking, partnerships, and socio- economicwork. As a service institution, KADUAMI is working with the peasants,fisher folk, workers, urban poor, indigenous peoples, and other institutions. It is committed to uplift the lives of the poor and neglected sector. For the next 3 years, KADUAMI aims to contribute in strengthening capacities of marginalized sectors in Northern Luzon forfood security and right to life.
-
Organisation
KATINNULONG DAGUITI UMILI ITI AMIANAN (KADUAMI) is an Ilocano phrase which is translated as “People’s Partner in Northern Luzon”. It is a non-governmental and non-stock, non-profitorganization that has wide range and long-term experiences inimplementing projects in Northern Luzon, Philippines for over 37years. KADUAMI was established on October 04, 1983, after the FirstRegional Conference on Development Issues in Northern Luzon. Itwas registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July9, 1984.
KADUAMI’s work covers 3 regions in Northern Luzon Philippinesnamely: Cagayan Valley Region or Region II, Ilocos Region or RegionI, and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
KADUAMI envisions an empowered community that are able to assertbasic human rights, promote self-reliant, equitable and sustainabledevelopment and progressive culture. To help realize this vision,KADUAMI commits to contribute to the development of self-determining, self-reliant and inter-dependent communities in NorthernLuzon. To guide us through our development work are our COREVALUES that: 1. We are committed to uplift the situation of themarginalized sectors and communities; 2. We promote organized andactive people’s participation; 3. We are sensitive to indigenouspeoples and gender rights; 4. We work to contribute to social justiceand ecological stability. To achieve this, KADUAMI do capacity building, research, networking, partnerships, and socio- economicwork. As a service institution, KADUAMI is working with the peasants,fisher folk, workers, urban poor, indigenous peoples, and other institutions. It is committed to uplift the lives of the poor and neglected sector. For the next 3 years, KADUAMI aims to contribute in strengthening capacities of marginalized sectors in Northern Luzon forfood security and right to life.
-
Project
This project will enable14 peasant women whose human rights are violated, experiencing judicial harassment, and injustice. At least3 of them are currently detained for trumped up charges, with whom 1 has a baby with her in the detention cell; 4 are forced to “surrender” as they were maliciously tagged as communist rebels; 4 are wives whose husbands are detained for trumped-up charges with planted evidence; and 3 victims of red-tagging, intimidation, and harassment. They are from 4 different municipalities, namely Baggao,Amulung, Alcala, Sto Nino, Aparri, in the Province of Cagayan, Region 2, Philippines. The
detained women are Christina Miguel, Violeta Ricardo and Amanda Echanis. Christina and Violeta are elderly peasant women who are detained due to invented accusations of murder of some soldiers, frustrated murder, arson, and illegal possession of firearms and explosives. They are charged separately but with similar charges. Last year, both were slapped with additional charges of murder and frustrated murder by the military. Amanda Echanis is a peasant organizer. Her newborn baby was a month old when a composite team of military and police barged into her home on December 2, 2020 at 3 AM, planted firearms and explosives, and charged for illegal possession of firearms. She is detained with her baby. Jacqueline Ratin (63), Julie Marcos (64), Jane Valencia (45), and Emilia Ventura (42) are women who are victims of forced surrender. The military forced them to sign a document that they used to be rebelsand are now “returning to the folds of the law”. Angelita Bulseco (65), Lina Ladino (64), and Alma Infante (50) are peasant women who are tagged by military as “recruiters” of New PeoplesArmy or NPA since 2018. They are continuously threatened, intimidated, and harassed by military. Rosalinda Dagohoy (58), Jane Ramos(55), Precious Cabildo
(46), and Clarita Pascua (50) are wives of peasant leaders who are victims of trumped-up charges with planted evidence. Common to them is the raids of their homes at3AM by a hundred military and policemen where they are planted evidence of ammunitions and charged with illegal possessions of such. The peasant women and their families are the direct victims of abuse of power. They face barriers in accessing justice dueto gender discriminationfor being marginalized, lack of knowledge of their rights, as well as economic and educational disadvantages. This problem stems from the condition of the current Philippine administration of President Duterte whose regime is built on fear and repression. It imposes militaristic policies against critiques to suppress dissent. This project aims to enable the peasant women who are under attack to speak up against harassment and manage their legal battles. Specifically, it supportslocal efforts to advocate for legal rights of women who are under attack and whose families are victims of HR abuse. It capacitates the women to become voices of the unheard and improve their access to
justice in their ongoing legal struggle. This project wishes to see that the women are capacitated to speak about the injustice they are in and can manage their legal battle.
-
-
This project will enable14 peasant women whose human rights are violated, experiencing judicial harassment, and injustice. At least3 of them are currently detained for trumped up charges, with whom 1 has a baby with her in the detention cell; 4 are forced to “surrender” as they were maliciously tagged as communist rebels; 4 are wives whose husbands are detained for trumped-up charges with planted evidence; and 3 victims of red-tagging, intimidation, and harassment. They are from 4 different municipalities, namely Baggao,Amulung, Alcala, Sto Nino, Aparri, in the Province of Cagayan, Region 2, Philippines. The
detained women are Christina Miguel, Violeta Ricardo and Amanda Echanis. Christina and Violeta are elderly peasant women who are detained due to invented accusations of murder of some soldiers, frustrated murder, arson, and illegal possession of firearms and explosives. They are charged separately but with similar charges. Last year, both were slapped with additional charges of murder and frustrated murder by the military. Amanda Echanis is a peasant organizer. Her newborn baby was a month old when a composite team of military and police barged into her home on December 2, 2020 at 3 AM, planted firearms and explosives, and charged for illegal possession of firearms. She is detained with her baby. Jacqueline Ratin (63), Julie Marcos (64), Jane Valencia (45), and Emilia Ventura (42) are women who are victims of forced surrender. The military forced them to sign a document that they used to be rebelsand are now “returning to the folds of the law”. Angelita Bulseco (65), Lina Ladino (64), and Alma Infante (50) are peasant women who are tagged by military as “recruiters” of New PeoplesArmy or NPA since 2018. They are continuously threatened, intimidated, and harassed by military. Rosalinda Dagohoy (58), Jane Ramos(55), Precious Cabildo
(46), and Clarita Pascua (50) are wives of peasant leaders who are victims of trumped-up charges with planted evidence. Common to them is the raids of their homes at3AM by a hundred military and policemen where they are planted evidence of ammunitions and charged with illegal possessions of such. The peasant women and their families are the direct victims of abuse of power. They face barriers in accessing justice dueto gender discriminationfor being marginalized, lack of knowledge of their rights, as well as economic and educational disadvantages. This problem stems from the condition of the current Philippine administration of President Duterte whose regime is built on fear and repression. It imposes militaristic policies against critiques to suppress dissent. This project aims to enable the peasant women who are under attack to speak up against harassment and manage their legal battles. Specifically, it supportslocal efforts to advocate for legal rights of women who are under attack and whose families are victims of HR abuse. It capacitates the women to become voices of the unheard and improve their access to
justice in their ongoing legal struggle. This project wishes to see that the women are capacitated to speak about the injustice they are in and can manage their legal battle. -
Enabling Peasant Women in Pursuit of Justice
“No cause is more worthy than the cause of human rights. They are what makes a man human. Deny them and you deny man’s humanity”. This statement from Jose ‘Ka Pepe’ Diokno is perhaps one of the inspirations of KADUAMI on why we chose human rights as one of our advocacies and on why we took on this project with VOICE Philippines. The founders of this very institution are all victims of human rights violations (HRVs)- most of them were detained, tortured, harassed, surveilled, traumatized and some of their friends are killed and went missing to this day. And as the HRVs escalate until this day, KADUAMI with VOICE Philippines have decided to assist in pursuing justice with women who have been unheard, unseen and unattended by the current political system.
“If you are going to kill me, at least kill me in my home”. These words were uttered by one of the RHGs to the state agents who have been visiting her residence when the community quarantine started. According to the state agents, she has to “surrender” as she is being tagged as a “communist rebel”. An accusation being made without any evidence and done without due process, done by the so called “law enforcers”. This is the classic violation called red-tagging/vilification and forced surrender. Eventually, she gave in and signed a document not because the accusation is true but because she is isolated (she cannot leave and ask for help) and her family is already in distress due to the constant presence of the state agent in their home. And yet who is she? According to her family and friends, she is active in helping her community and she spearheaded a lot of relief operations in the province of Cagayan. She is also a farmer, mother, aunt, sister and a jolly person. And the said state agents? They will be promoted in a higher rank/position in their own institutions and received higher salary. All because according to them, the RHG who signed the document is a “high-ranking” official of the Communist Part of the Philippines. This is just one story out of the fourteen (14) rightsholders in Cagayan province who have been part of this project. At least four (4) of the RHGs are currently detained, four (4) are victims of “coerced/forced surrender”, four (4) have a family member that is currently detained and two (2) were tagged as “reds” or simply communists.
During the preparation, the project team had an orientation with the rightsholders. This way, the expectation from each other, the process, the activities and the expected outputs are all clear. In the end, two (2) RHGs have dropped out of the project. According to them, they not ready for it and they are still in fear, which is understandable and valid reason. The project still went on with the same number as two (2) new RHGs were added. The project funded two (2) sessions of psychosocial processing, thee (3) capacity building and provided financial assistance for legal matters such as lawyer’s fee and fund for logistic needs during court hearings and legal consultations for the petitions and complaints being filed at the different government agencies.
One of the main activities of the project is the National Trooping in Manila. Despite the restrictions during the pandemic, 20 activists (4 of them are RHGs) went to Manila to forward their issues, concerns and demands on the continuing attacks to the civil-political rights of the members and leaders of the Peoples’ Organization in the region. They visited Camp Aguinaldo, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) national office, Department of Justice (DOJ), House of Representatives and the Senate. They filed complaints, petitions and letter of appeals to these offices for them to act on it. CHR gave their commitment to a.) investigate the cases filed at the national and regional office, b.) make an official report on these and provide a copy c.) conduct human rights orientation in the communities attacked, d.) conduct ocular visit to the offices and houses of the petitioners, and e.) re-issue a memorandum to regional offices to perform their responsibilities.
After the dialogue, a press conference was held within the compound of CHR to officially launched the Hands-Off Cagayan Valley Activists campaign. Two (2) RHGs were part of the dialogue inside at the CHR and speakers during the press conference.
Despite of the inaction within the local institutions, campaign activities continued. One (1) RHG filed a complaint at the Regional CHR in Cagayan Valley and the said office summoned an NTF-ELCAC agent to explain his actions. CHR representatives also went to Carupian, Baggao to interview, Ms. Lina Dagohoy. Furthermore, a letter of appeal and summary of the human rights violations in the province were submitted to the Provincial Sangguniang Panlalawigan in Cagayan. This was personally submitted by two (2) RHGs. The appeal was taken into session, endorsed to the Peace and Order and Legal Committees of the SP and an online investigation/committee hearing was conducted. Provincial Director of the PNP attended and denied all the allegations against the perpetrators. The petitioners requested for a separate consultation due to security concern.
As the campaign goes on, the conduct of psychosocial processing and capacity building is simultaneously done, during the session, most of the families expressed fear for their loved on who are active in social causes as they may be imprisoned and killed just like other activists so they encouraged and even forced their loved one to “lie-low” or to stop with their work.
However, through the activities that were conducted where some of the family members were also involved, they further understood and appreciated the importance of the work of their family members under attacked. Eventually, they started to support and even help with their work.
During the conference and training on human rights, families of the political prisoners in the province agreed in helping one another. They launched the local chapter of KAPATID- the national alliance of the families and friends of detained activists. They helped each other in visiting their detained families and provide basic necessities, they explored together the idea of writing an appeal letter to the jail warden for whoever detainee who is in need of immediate medical attention, and to have a constant case conference with lawyers to monitor and update the cases of all political prisoners in the region. An online orientation was provided by the national chapter of KAPATID.
As a result of the activities, eight (8) of the rightsholders are consistent in their active engagement in the pursuit of justice and in the voicing out of their current situation, concerns and demands. Four (4) of them are also continuing to serve as speakers on human rights concerns (both economic and civil-political rights) in online forums and even in community gatherings. They are also willing to speak on media interviews if necessary. On the other hand, three (3) of the families of the Political Prisoners, who are also women, are active in the monitoring of the case/s of their family members. They also regularly visit their family or talk to them via phone. They also update the group on the case/s and situation of their family-member and the other Political Prisoners. Two (2) of the rightsholders increased their capacity to write affidavits and fact sheets. As a group, and through the aid of the project coordinator, they were able to construct the summary of the cases of human rights violations in the province since 2018.
As the project team reflect on this project, the challenges are endless (especially on technical and logistical matters) but not impossible to overcome. The restrictions of the pandemic and the continuing security concerns among the project team and the RHGs are the main challenges of this project. Also, the project team learned that it takes a while to overcome fears especially if you are dealing with state forces. One-time activities are not enough to capacitate the RHGs and providing a wholistic and multi-faceted support is the only effective mechanism to achieve the project’s objective. For the RHGs, according to them, their dire situation of a person, a group, or a community may be alleviated, if those affected are willing to voice out their conditions and participate in addressing their situation. Their own actions in addressing their situation will also bring in more support from other people.