"Labor, rights groups condemn 'tokhang-style' raids of activists' offices", 2 November 2019

Local and international groups have sounded the alarm over the police raids of militant groups' offices that led to the arrest of 58 activists in Manila and Bacolod.

The Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment [and international environmental and rights groups]... in a statement ... raised what it called the "illegal arrests" reminiscent of the questionable process employed in President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial drug war... urged US authorities to support investigations into the ongoing human rights crisis... [and] asked the US Congress to withdraw its military and police aid from the Filipino military and police until they cease their relentless human rights atrocities...

“Kalikasan’s office itself confronted constant surveillance and raid attempts over the past month. It is now very apparent that there is a drive by the Duterte regime to churn out fake warrants and plant fake evidence to justify the mass arrests of critics and dissenters,” said... [Clemente Bautista, Kalikasan international network coordinator]...