On March 12, 2024, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will receive Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Berlin. The state visit will also honor 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Labor migration to Germany as well as climate and coastal protection in the island state will be important topics of discussion in Berlin. The Aktionsbündnis Menschenrechte – Philippinen (AMP, Action Network Human Rights – Philippines) emphasizes the ongoing problematic human rights situation in the Southeast Asian state.
President Marcos Jr. has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to human rights in various international forums but is continuing the repressive policies of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte. Extrajudicial killings in relation to the “war on drugs” continue to take place. At least 556 drug-related killings have been documented since the start of the Marcos government in mid-2022 until end of February 2024. In addition, under Marcos Jr. there has only been two further convictions of perpetrators in drug-related killings since 2016. In total, civil society organizations estimate that at least 27,000 people died as part of the “war on drugs” between 2016 and 2022.
Under Marcos Jr., human rights continue to be violated, especially against civil society actors. Jochen Range from Amnesty International Germany emphasizes: “The increasing number of cases of enforced disappearances and the targeted criminalization of human rights defenders highlight the urgency of taking consistent steps to increase the protection of human rights defenders and end impunity. The Philippine government must bring the perpetrators to justice immediately.” This includes the Philippine government fully cooperating with the International Criminal Court on investigations into alleged crimes against humanity in the context of the “war on drugs” under former President Duterte.
In a statement, the AMP calls on the German government to urge President Marcos Jr. during his visit to Berlin to ensure that the Philippine government puts an end to impunity by thoroughly and impartially investigating all relevant cases. “The coalition agreement enshrines human rights as an indispensable part of a successful and credible foreign policy. The German government should therefore make the protection of human rights a key condition for future bilateral partnership agreements with the Philippines,” explains Astrud Lea Beringer, coordinator of the Aktionsbündnis Menschenrechte – Philippinen (AMP, Action Network Human Rights – Philippines).
AMP-Statement