US senator hits rights violations in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — United States Sen. and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has accused the Philippine government of human rights abuses following the recent raids conducted by the police on offices of militant organizations.

“In recent years, we have seen abhorrent human rights abuses by the Philippine government,” Sanders, who is again vying for the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party to challenge President Donald Trump in next year’s elections, said in a post on Twitter on Friday.

“This repression of trade unionists is a shameful attempt to silence people’s rights and freedoms. More than ever, we must stand on the side of global human rights,” he added.

Sanders shared a report from the International Trade Union Confederation that condemned the series of raids conducted by police on offices of human rights and trade union organizations in the Philippines in recent weeks.

Militant groups denounced the charges of illegal possession of firearms filed against those arrested, alleging that the pieces of evidence were planted.

They noted that the search warrants used in the raids were issued by the same judge in Quezon City.

The government accused those arrested of allegedly being part of the communist New People’s Army, a claim denied by militant organizations such as Bayan Muna and Gabriela.