On 24 June, a regional trial court acquitted former senator Leila de Lima on the last of three cases she faced related to conspiracy to commit drug trading. Leila de Lima was previously granted bail in November 2023, after having been held in pre-trial detention for nearly seven years on charges widely believed to be politically motivated and in return for her criticism of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs” campaign. Legal and rights experts have welcomed the long overdue verdict, urging the government to investigate those responsible for the unfounded allegations that led to her arbitrary detention.

Sources: Rappler, Amnesty International, Al Jazeera, International IDEA

On 8 May, the Supreme Court (SC) issued a landmark ruling that declared accusing someone of having ties to the Communist insurgency (known locally as ‘red-tagging’) a threat to life, liberty, and security, potentially justifying the issuance of protection orders for those so-affected. The decision marks the first time a court has explicitly defined red-tagging, providing a legal basis for persons challenging the practice. For decades, government or law enforcement agencies have used red-tagging (or red-baiting) to accuse thousands of critics or oppositional figures of ties with the country’s Communist insurgency, endangering them of enforced disappearance or extrajudicial killings. The SC decision stems from a 2020 petition filed by activist and former lawmaker Siegfried Deduro who was red-tagged by the military and faced harassment. Rights experts hope this ruling will set a precedent for pending red-tagging complaints and have urged the legislature to pass laws that criminalise unfounded communist accusations (which are most often made by government officials).  

Sources: Human Rights Watch, Rappler (1), Republic of the Philippines Commission on Human Rights, Amnesty International, Rappler (2), Supreme Court of the Philippines

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued an executive order (EO No. 51) on 22 December 2023, creating a Special Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs under the Inter-Agency Committee. The Committee aims to address discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community, ensuring its participation in government policy formation. While rights advocates welcomed the move, others such as Bahaghari (an alliance of LGBTQIA+ organizations) have described the order as “insufficient,” urging Congress to instead prioritize the passage of the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill that has been pending in Congress for years, noting that “we do not need a committee or special group . . . but a concrete law that will protect every Filipino from discrimination based on gender.”

Sources: The Philippine Star, CNN Philippines, Official Gazette of the Republic of Philippines, Manila Today

More than 300 drug-related killings have occurred since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office last year, according to figures compiled by the University of Philippines program Dahas. Human rights experts note that there has been little progress since in the country's internal investigation into the drug-related killings. As a result, the International Criminal Court (ICC) moved to disregard the Philippines' objections on 18 July, clearing the way for an imminent probe. The government has said it will not cooperate with the ICC investigation, stating that it is not within the court’s jurisdiction. At the same time, the persecution of journalists and former critics of the war on drugs continues to be prolonged. Notably, Leila de Lima, a former senator known for her critical stance against the war on drugs, remains in police custody after being denied bail earlier in June.

Sources: Rappler, Human Rights Watch, Reuters, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights