PNP to Set up Outposts in the US: Duterte’s Attempt to Silence Opposition!
A recent development in the US-Duterte regime’s attempts to silence opposition has reached beyond the boundaries of the Philippines through allowing the Philippine National Police (PNP) to set up their “Global Police Community Relations” in San Francisco and somewhere along the east coast as stated in the recent press showcase.
BAYAN USA recognizes this as a direct threat by the administration against activists and organizers that have raised vocal opposition to the US-Duterte regime’s violent fascist attacks on the people. Most notorious is the “drug war” against the poor in which there have been more than 20,000 killings mostly at the hands of the PNP and their goons. What other true purpose would the PNP serve to be stationed in the US? Why would the US government allow another country to send their police to the US to set up shop? Their duty would be to surveil, intimidate, and harass the growing movement against Duterte in the United States in the attempt to silence any dissenters while at the same time trying to wash away their “sins” of human rights violations through PR strategies.
According to their PR the PNP say that this is an opportunity for Filipinos to report crimes from abroad in the US and perhaps “maybe in our own little way be able to address their problems especially the emotional problems they will encounter if their loved ones left in the Philippines will encounter also some emotional problems?” This is truly a false notion that the PNP would be able to resolve any issues kababayan raise. We already know that the solutions presented by the PNP have only resulted in violence and death. It is a slap in the face to say that they will resolve emotional problems of people, when the over 20,000 victims killed by the drug war and their families have yet to find justice?
Duterte’s decision to deploy PNP officials to the US is likely a response the the growing international criticisms on his administration as demonstrated by the International People’s Tribunal (IPT) and other international human rights advocates finding the US-Duterte administration GUILTY of crimes against humanity over the alleged “gross and systematic violations of human rights” in the Philippines as publicly announced on September 20th in Brussels, Belgium. Duterte has already made open threats in response to the IPT verdict saying he will add “foreigners as human targets for Filipino soldiers,” he is simply following through with his threats by ordering his attack dogs in the PNP to stand guard in the US as part of his ever rising fascism.
We must block the PNP from setting up outposts in the US and call on all Filipinos and allies to join us in standing against this new fascist move by the Duterte regime. We must demand justice for all the victims of the “drug war” and cut all US aid that has supported Duterte’s bloody campaign! The US government has already allocated more than $186.7 million US tax dollars to the Philippine military and police which has only resulted in increased human rights violations. Join the ICHRP US day of action to urge US congress to cut aid to the Philippine military and national police!
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Please join the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP US)in a day of action urging Congress to
Cut Aid to the Philippine Military & National Police!
According to Philippine human rights watchdog Karapatan, since President Duterte came to power there have been over 23,000 killings of the poor, the Moro, and of progressive people critical of President Duterte’s dictatorship. The killings are linked to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and their operatives.
The Philippines continues to receive the largest amount of U.S. aid in the Asia-Pacific, with so far at least $184.5 million in U.S. tax dollars going towards the Philippine military and police this year. We do not want our tax dollars going towards the killings and human rights violations in the Philippines.
Please take 10 minutes today to:
- Call your Congressional Representative
Find your Representative HERE.
Click on their names to get the phone numbers to their offices and make your calls!
Tell them your name, your city, and your organization (if applicable) and say:
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- I’m concerned about human rights in the Philippines and the U.S. tax dollars going to the Philippine military and police.
- They have been linked with over 20,000 deaths under President Duterte who last week was found guilty of crimes against humanity by the International People’s Tribunal in Brussels, Belgium.
- When the Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations Bill comes to the floor for a vote, will [Senator/Congressperson _(name)_] ensure that the human rights restrictions on aid to the Philippines are maintained?
If your Representative is on one of these committees, please make an additional ask….
- IF your Representative is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee– please ask them: “Will (Senator______) hold a hearing on the Philippines?”
- IF your Representative is on the Senate Human Rights Caucus– please ask them: “Will (Senator______) hold a briefing on the Philippines?”
San Francisco & San Mateo County Residents! If your representative is Congresswoman Jackie Speier, please also make this special ask: “Will Congresswoman Speier take responsibility for a House version of S. 1055, on Philippines Human Rights? We need her to to take lead on it and not pass it off to another Representative.”
Let us know how it went for you! Please email any comments or questions that you received from the congressional office to ichrpus@gmail.com.
- Post on social media: “I called Senator ___________ today to ask Congress to oppose US AID to the AFP/PNP @ (phone number). Will you join me?”
- Follow ICHRP US for campaign updates and to get involved in advocating for human rights in the Philippines.
If you’re able to schedule a meeting with your representatives during congressional recess, let us know! Sign-up to help organize legislative visits or take up other work for the campaign to cut aid to the Philippine military and national police HERE.
Thank you for your solidarity with the people in the Philippines!