Written by Albert Matayom

As the nation experiences a continuous nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases, the first week of the reimplementation of the stricter Enhance Community Quarantine (ECQ) was met with numerous abuses to various leaders, prisoners, indigenous people and other oppressed groups.

One notable person who was a victim of these said abuses was labor leader Dandy Miguel who was shot dead in Caumbang, Laguna. Miguel was one of the individuals that filed a complaint on the Commission on Human Rights after the “Bloody Sunday” incident on March 7. Additionally, Multiple arrests on ‘holy week’ were made on various activist leaders in Central Luzon throughout the week. Among those arrested were Joseph Canlas, Pol Viuya, and May Arcilla.

Residences and offices of individuals and labor groups were also on the receiving end of multiple raids. The home of a red-tagged leader in Cebu was reported to be raided and houses in Nasugbu, Batangas were also said to be demolished. Human rights abuses were also reported on various prisoners. Sorsogon jail guards separated a prisoner and her newborn baby and Cebu prison officials blocked food for a jailed Lumad student’s birthday.

The numerous reported abuses are a firm reminder that the nation’s problems are not solely limited to the pandemic. Stay vigilant and informed.