HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE PHILIPPINES

That this House notes with alarm grave on-going human rights violations in the Philippines; deplores public attacks and threats made by President Duterte on people attempting to gather evidence about such abuses; further notes with concern the petition submitted by the Philippine Department of Justice listing more than 600 people, including the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of lndigenous Peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, as terrorists, which has been referred to by the NGO Human Rights Watch as a virtual Government hit list; welcomes the decision of the International Criminal Court to hold a preliminary investigation into alleged crimes against humanity in that country despite the President's subsequent declaration withdrawing the Philippines from the ICC; is aware that the Government has approved sales of electronic surveillance equipment to the Philippine Government; and calls on the Government to repeatedly raise those concerns with the Philippines Government to support and improve protection for human rights defenders working in that country and to immediately end the sale of surveillance equipment to the Philippine Government.