The killing of Zara Alvarez is another addition to the alarming string of attacks against human rights workers and advocates in the country. The Commission on Human Rights sees this as a cause for concern, especially that the number of cases is still growing and justice is nowhere in sight.

Reports about Alvarez note that she has been a target of red-tagging and was once part of the list in 2018 of more than 600 people that the Department of Justice wanted to tag as terrorists. However, her name was taken off the said list, but the exclusion still did not spare her from the ultimate violation of her rights—succumbing to death after being shot on Monday night by unidentified perpetrators in Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City.

CHR stresses, as reflected in its Report on the Situation of Human Right Defenders in the Philippines (2020), that the act of red-tagging of human rights defenders alone already constitutes a grave threat to their lives, liberty, and security. Further, tagging human rights workers and advocates as terrorists distorts the nature of their work and makes them open, legitimate targets to attacks and a number of violations.

CHR is firm in asserting that demanding for better services and calling the government to fulfill human rights obligations should not be taken as a move to destablise the government. It is a reminder to the government, including all of its officials and officers, of their sworn duty to the people.

But, even if the killing of Alvarez was not linked to her work, it does not erase the duty of the government to prevent arbitrary deprivation of life from happening, as well as keeping communities safe and free from attacks to human life and rights. And, should violations happen, government must step up as well in ensuring that perpetrators are held to account.

Our CHR Region VI’s Sub-Office in Bacolod has already launched a motu proprio investigation on the case to help in seeking justice for this death. ###