An urgent alert from the US Section of the
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

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Emergency Mobilization for Philippines Senator Risa Hontiveros
Call you Representative and/or join us on social media to help pressure for her safety!


Philippines Senator Risa Hontiveros
Philippines Senator Risa Hontiveros. Creative Commons, Wikimedia.org

Presidential harassment from a misogynistic ruler -- sound familiar? But in the Philippines, President Duterte is directly connected to the deaths of thousands and the politically motivated arrests and abusive treatment of multiple journalists and political opponents. Duterte uses false sedition and drug-cartel charges along with other intimidation tactics to threaten and silence people who criticize his administration.
Senator Hontiveros spoke last week on the ONE WILPF call about her in struggle for justice and decency. Now, she is one of 36 Philippine public figures -- including the Vice-President Leni Robredo -- against whom the Philippine National Police have filed complaints for sedition and related charges, on July 18.

Take action this weekend to
support Senator Hontiveros and others jailed in the Philippines for their struggle for justice and decency! Join us in this e mergency mobilization for her: Call your representatives and/or help get out the message on social media. You can take action to help protect Senator Hontiveros in two ways:
 
1. Call or write your Congressional representatives to insist that the US exert pressure on Duterte's government to stop these arrests and other intimidation tactics against people who criticize his administration. Make a special appeal for action to demand the safety and release of Senator Hontiveros.
 
2. Join us in one or more of our upcoming special social media mobilization and training sessions!

On these calls we'll disseminate information about this situation using the Maestro call system while any technical needs will also be supported. Participants will be guided in how to Tweet together and to share this information using Facebook. We will help you gain the skills to spread the call for action via social media!
 
We offer five opportunities to take action and pick up some social media skills on mobilization calls.

You are welcome to join for as long or as short as you can -- not necessarily the entire time. Drop in one or more times, as you can: On both Saturday and Sunday, calls will be for two hours, starting at 7 pm EDT/4 pm PDT. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (7/22-24), participants are welcome during three hours, starting at7 pm EDT/4 pm PDT. To join in any of these calls, please register for these conference call actions.
 
Even if you do not have a Twitter account, we will help you during the sessions to get a Twitter account and Tweet with us. Also, you can share our Facebook post via email and/or on Facebook and Twitter.
 
On the July 11 ONE WILPF Call, Senator Risa Hontiveros described the Philippine situation:

Women all over the world including those who are engaged in the profession of journalism and all of us sisters who support freedom of the press and of expression in all our countries.... The Philippines has been noted sadly... as the 5th worst country in the world with unsolved media killings. Currently there are documented twelve cases already of media killings under President Rodrigo Duterte with no clear investigation toward surfacing the truth and that will be justice to the victims and their families.

WILPF interviewed Senator Risa Hontiveros on June 24, 2019. She described the harassment she was receiving from the president, who had threatened her with death and imprisonment. Duterte used social media and government controlled media to spew hate speech and to call for her assassination and rape as well as the kidnapping of her children.
 
The Senator has spoken out courageously against the massive corruption, the drug cartels, the weaponizing of news media, and the Duterte's threats against progressive elected officials, judges, and independent journalists. Listen to her July 11 ONE WILPF Call Presentation. Per Amnesty International, she is among the 36 legislators and critics charged this week on charges of corruption, sedition and drug crimes:
 
On 18 July, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group filed a sedition case against 36 individuals including Vice President Leni Robredo, Senator Leila de Lima (who Amnesty has deemed a prisoner of conscience), Senator Risa Hontiveros, ex-senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Bam Aquino, prominent Catholic bishops and priests, lawyers, and other public figures.
 
Amnesty International 's press release on the arrests provides additional detail.
 
Again, call your representatives today to demand US pressure on Duterte! And register to participate in any of the emergency mobilization calls!



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Women's International League for Peace and Freedom/US Section
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