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December 14, 2013 Address Human Rights Violations in the Region Cease from Denying Accountability There are two things that can be done by the State when citizens forward a list or record of human rights abuses. The first, which is expected of them, is to conduct an independent investigation of the incident and through due process, bring the perpetrator to the bar of justice. The second, is to outrightly deny accountability and engage in mudslinging. Of these two, the quickest, most convenient and usual reaction of the State and its Security forces is the second - an act of impunity, which further aggravates the human rights violations committed against the people. A dishonorable act. The second is what the State security forces opted to do when it reacted to the human rights report released by the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance-Karapatan for this year. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) claimed that there were no human rights violations in the region for this year. We stand by the long list of human rights violations we have documented and received from various communities in the region some of which have been filed at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). The incidents in the report have been documented and validated by human rights workers in the region from the victims of human rights violations themselves, their families and communities. In the process of relaying the truth, the victims and human rights workers have been subjected to surveillance and harassments by the same State security forces that deny these violations. The filing of all cases has been more difficult with the victims fear of retaliation. The State has an obligation to the people to conduct independent investigations of the human rights violation and ensure the delivery of justice. We challenge them to fulfill their role as the duty bearer of rights and not deny these to the people. We released the human rights report to the public as we acknowledge that the people can only rely on their collective action to be able to demand accountability from the State and for human rights to be asserted and defended. We therefore call on the people to remain vigilant and continue human rights assertion and stand against State deception and repression.# For reference: Jude Baggo Secretary General Cordillera Human Rights Alliance Mobile numbers: 09189199007 and 09989883956

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