DOJ’s list of terrorists incites violations vs supposed 'enemies of state' — Karapatan

MANILA, Philippines — The petition of the Department of Justice seeking to declare more than 600 individuals as “terrorists” is meant to harass and criminalize persons who oppose the rule of President Rodrigo Duterte, rights group Karapatan said Friday.

“There is no doubt that the filing of the petition is an effort to sow fear and panic among Duterte’s detractors, subjectively prepare the public for more intense political repression and be the front act of a crackdown against the dictator wannabe’s critics,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said.

She said that the list—which includes United Nations special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, other human rights defenders and dissenters—incites rights violations and legitimizes the government’s abuse of power in decimating the supposed “enemies of the state.”

Colleagues of Corpuz in the UN also condemned the inclusion of the rights expert on the list, calling it a “retaliation” for her comments on the military’s attack against the indigenous Lumad.

READ: Terror tag on UN rapporteur a retaliation by Duterte admin — rights expert

The Karapatan secretary-general also called the terror list “severely defective as it contains scores of aliases, John and Janes Does so any person can be added later.”

She noted that the members of paramilitary groups accused of killing Lumad in Mindanao were also included on the list.

“On the whole, DOJ’s proscription petition is dubious and a maneuver meant to harass, target and criminalize persons in progressive organizations. We should oppose this and other tyrannical acts that brand legitimate dissent and activism as ‘terrorism,’” Palabay said.

She added that Duterte, who has been accused of victimizing thousands, should be branded instead as “the number one terrorist.”

READ: Terrorist petition a ‘virtual hit list’ — Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch also denounced the government petition, calling it a “virtual hit list.”

The move of the justice department came months after the chief executive signed a proclamation tagging the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army, as terror bodies.

In various speeches in the past, Duterte had repeatedly accused leftist groups as “legal fronts” of communist guerillas.

READ: Government seeks ‘terrorist’ tag for 600 suspected Reds