More than 300 participants from southern and northern Negros joined the One Negros Ecumenical Council (ONE-C) caravan that converged in Bacolod City for a prayer rally on Sunday, Dec. 10, to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The two groups converged in front of the Fountain of Justice at Araneta Street and marched through “Five Stations” to discuss various human rights issues in Negros.
Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel called for the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and for the resumption of peace talks.
He also condemned the “terrorist-tagging of progressive organizations”.
“Negros Island has witnessed a surge in cases of extrajudicial killings, massacres, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary arrests since the imposition of the ‘State of Emergency’ through Memorandum Order 32 by former President Rodrigo Duterte,“ a press statement from the group said.
“Simultaneously, land grabbing and displacement of rural communities persist, driven by agribusiness interests and infrastructure projects. The city government’s plans for coastal reclamation and public utility vehicle modernization further compound the challenges faced by local communities,” it added.*