The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) has reaffirmed its commitment to fight for the human rights of Filipinos.
“Indeed, answering the challenge to fight for the Filipino people’s cherished rights and freedoms, as well as their aspirations for national sovereignty and democracy, remains to be an urgent call for members of the NUPL, in particular, and the legal profession, in general,” it said in a statement.
The group held its 6th National Congress last Oct. 15 and 16 in Quezon City.
It said its 6th Congress is “an expression of the NUPL’s continuing commitment to fulfill its mandate amid a continuing environment of repression and unrest, where law has been weaponized to spread disinformation, revise history, incite violence, and stifle dissent and democratic space.”
“The NUPL remains ever committed to peoples’ lawyering and its principles, using our practice in the context of the struggle for the demands and aspirations of the Filipino people,” it also said.
It said it faced numerous “adversities” during the administration of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte and is still facing “adversities” even under the leadership of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
It, however, did not elaborate on the “adversities” the group is encountering under the present administration.
NUPL Assistant Secretary General Melanie Pinlac said the group has documented “262 incidents of prima facie work-related attacks and engagements with human rights mechanisms and international lawyers’ groups.”
She noted that “117 of the reported incidents transpired under the Duterte administration, among which are 59 cases of killings that include the unresolved murders of NUPL members Atty. Benjamin Ramos and Atty. Juan Macababbad.”
“These challenges, while they are by no means new nor insurmountable, bid us to intensify our efforts in organizing, mobilizing and consolidating our ranks to the defense, protection and promotion of human rights. These challenges call for us to inspire a new generation of peoples’ lawyers,” NUPL said.
During its 6th Congress, NUPL said the group “deliberated and approved the General Program of Action for 2022-2025, which includes, among others, concrete measures to reaffirm NUPL’s commitment to the active defense, protection and promotion of human rights in all fora and to mobilize and consolidate the ranks of law students and lawyers in all existing and yet to be formed chapters of NUPL. “
“Resolutions on pre-empting violations of due process upon the initiation of trumped-up criminal proceedings and broadening strategic lawsuits against public participation (slapp) were also passed,” it added.
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