MANILA, Philippines — A perjury complaint against organizations tagged by state agencies as fronts of communist rebels shows that the government is determined to suppress its critics, a rights group also accused of being a rebel front, said. Karapatan stressed this point after National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon sued its representatives as well as of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines and Gabriela for perjury at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office Tuesday. Esperon accused the RMP, a religious group that works with marginalized sectors, of falsely claiming it is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The rights group also stressed that the filing of the perjury complaint is part and parcel of the attacks aimed at discrediting their advocacy. The writ of amparo pertains to court protection extended to petitioners where threats to their life, liberty and security emanate from the military, police and other state security forces.

Source: Philippine Star July 04, 2019 07:18 UTC