November 19, 2019
Dear Friends,
Greetings of peace and solidarity!
The Movement Against Tyranny (MAT) and the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) would like to invite you to “Weaponizing the law, criminalizing dissent: A forum on the crackdown on critics and dissenters” on November 27, 2019, from 1-4 p.m. at the Quezon City Sports Club, E. Rodriguez Avenue, Q.C.
The following are the forum topics and speakers:
- The legal offensive against critics and dissenters: trumped up cases, spurious search and arrest warrants, planting of evidence, red tagging and other schemes Atty. Edre Olalia of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers
- The criminalization of dissent: Executive Order No 70, proposals to strengthen the anti-terrorism law, revive ROTC and other draconian measures, Atty. Neri Colmenares of the National Union of People’s Lawyers
- On the sedition charge vs. VP Robredo et. al. and other harassment cases against critics and the opposition Atty. Marlon Manuel of the Alternative Law Groups
The forum aims to provide a deeper analysis and discussion of the virtual crackdown now being experienced by activists and critics of the Duterte administration, like the raids on the offices of several peoples organizations and mass arrest of 57 persons in Bacolod and Kabankalan, Negros Occidental last Oct. 31, as well as the expansion of the military’s red-tagging spree to include several religious and non-partisan humanitarian NGOs like Oxfam, Save the Children and Caritas.
It also aims to look into the wider implications of trumped up cases, including the ongoing sedition case against several bishops, priests and leaders of the opposition led by Vice President Leni Robredo, and the continued persecution of critics like Sen. Leila de Lima and Rappler publisher Maria Ressa.
More importantly, the forum aims to be a venue to discuss how to push back against efforts to curtail our freedoms and civil liberties.
You may confirm your attendance with Ms. Gel Marcelino at mobile no. 0947.5891578.
Thank you!
