The Philippines seems to get most of its attention nowadays because of the ranting of its President rather than the human rights situation on the ground. That is why John Nery wrote a reply in the Philippine Daily Inquirer of 1 November 2016 under the title “Human rights defenders are beautiful“.
Immediately after Duterte’s election (13 May 2016) the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) called on him to end rights violations and give justice to victims. “Duterte captured the support of the Filipino electorate clamoring for change –- a clear repudiation of the Aquino government’s failure to bring about real development for the impoverished people…We have seen this overwhelming support take shape in the lively campaigns organized by different migrant groups in our respective countries, in spite of the criticisms against him for his alleged responsibility for the Davao “death squads” and summary executions of alleged criminals” Rev’d Canon Barry Naylor, Chairperson of the Global Council of the coalition noted. Then the ICHRP immediately called to:
1. STOP all extra-judicial killings, including the killing of Lumad people, attacks on communities and indigenous schools, among other human rights violations;
2. STOP vilification and harassment of human rights defenders
3. Release all political prisoners; and
4. Resume formal peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines
“He should sincerely address the roots of the armed conflict and disallow another National Internal Security Plan, such as the failed Oplan Bayanihan, in bringing about genuine change in the land. Without justice there can be no peace”, Canon Naylor added in response to Duterte’s call for national reconciliation and healing.
In the meantime the Philippines – together with Latin America [https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2016/10/31/unmitigated-rise-in-attacks-on-human-rights-defenders-in-latin-america-especially-in-the-environmental-area/] remains one of the world’s most dangerous place for land right defenders as illustrated by the portrait of Joan Carling in an interview with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, See: https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2016/11/02/joan-carling-indigenous-land-rights-defender-from-the-philippines/
sources:
http://opinion.inquirer.net/98871/human-rights-defenders-are-beautiful
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 
December 15, 2016 at 15:19
[…] Even if it would turn out that some biased or incompetent committee did bestow a minor award, it does not change the fact that Duterte has issues with human rights defenders for the way he is conducting his war on drugs. In fact, recently, Human Rights Watch and other NGOs demanded that Duterte should renounce his earlier statement that seemed to threaten the lawyers of alleged drug dealers. “Duterte’s threats against lawyers and human rights defenders constitute a dangerous extension of his abusive ‘war on drugs’ that has already resulted in more than 5,000 killings,” HRW deputy Asia director Phelim Kine said. See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2016/11/02/duterte-is-wrong-human-rights-defenders-are-beautiful/ […]
September 23, 2017 at 13:15
[…] In reality it was ignoring important issues raised and rejected key recommendations made by other States. The Philippine delegation on Friday at the session in Geneva accepted only 103 out of 257 recommendations made by member-states. On Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs claimed the country “scored a big victory in Geneva” when the UN body “overwhelmingly adopted Manila’s human rights report card.” (Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano claimed the “adoption” of Manila’s report means that the country “has nothing to hide with its human rights record.“) [see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2016/11/02/duterte-is-wrong-human-rights-defenders-are-beautiful/] […]