Resolution on the Philippines

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the Philippines.

The resolution was tabled by the EPP, ALDE, S&D, ECR, GUE/NGL and Greens/EFA groups.

It noted that the EU remains deeply concerned about the high number of killings associated with the campaign against illegal drugs in the Philippines, recalling that since 1 July 2016, around 12 000 people have reportedly been killed. Parliament called on the Government of the Philippines to put an immediate end to the extrajudicial killings in the pretext of a ‘war on drugs’, and also expressed grave concern over credible reports to the effect that the Philippine police force is falsifying evidence to justify extrajudicial killings, and that it is overwhelmingly the urban poor who are being targeted.

Given the strong concerns around human rights violations related to the war on drugs, Parliament called on the Commission and the External Action Service, in the absence of substantive improvements, to initiate the procedural steps that could lead to the temporary withdrawal of the GSP+ preferences. It reminded the authorities of the Philippines of their obligations under international law, the GSP+ scheme and the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), and of the consequences of failure to comply, and it urged the EU to use all available instruments to assist the Government of the Philippines in respecting its international human rights obligations. In this context, the EU should consider calling for the Philippines to be removed from the United Nations Human Rights Council before its current membership term expires at the end of 2018.

Members reiterated their call on the authorities of the Philippines to release Senator Leila De Lima, a human rights activist and the highest-profile critic of Philippine President Duterte’s anti-drugs campaign. All politically motivated charges against her must be dropped. In addition, the EU must continue to closely monitor the case against Senator De Lima.

The Philippine authorities were asked to remove human rights defenders from the terrorist list, dropping all charges and allowing them to carry out their activities in peace. Members recalled the case of he UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, a Philippine national, who has been accused of terrorism and, along with 600 other individuals including indigenous leaders and human rights defenders, was put on a list of terrorist organisations by the Philippines Government in March 2018. Parliament reminded the Philippine authorities that Ms Victoria Tauli-Corpuz benefits from immunity under the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of 1946.

Lastly, Parliament reiterated its deep concern about the decision of the House of Representatives to reintroduce the death penalty, calling for an immediate halt to the reintroduction.