Palabay to Address Toronto Conference on Philippine Rights
Karapatan's secretary general will speak at the Kapit Bisig conference, highlighting ongoing threats to activists and military operations.
Key points
- Cristina Palabay of Karapatan will speak at the Kapit Bisig conference in Toronto on September 25-26.
- Thirteen Karapatan members have been killed during the Duterte administration, according to Human Rights Watch.
- Palabay claims Philippine counterterrorism laws are used to target and prosecute human rights activists.
Cristina Palabay, the secretary general of the human rights alliance Karapatan, is scheduled to speak at the Kapit Bisig international conference in Toronto from September 25 to 26. The event, organized by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines and partners, aims to discuss the current state of civil liberties and political repression in the country.
According to reports from Peace Brigades International-Canada, Palabay has been a central figure in documenting violations since joining the organization in 2010. Her upcoming address comes amid heightened tensions regarding the safety of activists and the scope of military operations in conflict zones, issues that have dominated recent diplomatic and legal discussions.
Rising threats to legal advocates
The advocacy group has faced significant losses in recent years, with Human Rights Watch noting that thirteen members have been killed during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. This pattern of violence underscores the precarious environment for those documenting abuses, as members continue to risk their lives while providing legal aid and fact-finding services to affected communities.
Controversy over military airstrikes
In January 2026, Karapatan called for independent investigations into aerial bombings in Occidental Mindoro, which the group said resulted in civilian casualties. Palabay attributed the deaths to indiscriminate fire from helicopters, asserting that the military bore sole responsibility. These allegations highlight a broader debate over the application of international humanitarian law in internal security operations.
Intersection with counterterrorism frameworks
Critics argue that Philippine laws modeled on U.S. counterterrorism standards have been used to label activists as terrorists, a practice known as red-tagging. During the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in July 2026, Palabay stated that these measures have led to the surveillance and prosecution of human rights defenders. This stance contrasts with recent comments by Canadian officials regarding close alignment with U.S. security policies.
