The Defend NGOs Alliance, a network of nongovernment organizations (NGOs), criticized the government’s filing of “baseless terrorism financing charges” allegedly as among its efforts to exit the “grey list” of the Paris-based watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The group, together with the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), staged a protest in front of the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Manila on Monday in time for the FATF’s reported visit.
“In a disturbing pattern, the DOJ has been filing baseless terrorism financing charges against individuals and organizations without credible evidence. This is a brazen attempt to inflate prosecution statistics to meet arbitrary quotas — in time for the reported ongoing verification by the FATF of the Philippine government’s progress in complying with FATF standards,” the NUPL said in a statement.
According to NUPL secretary general lawyer Josalee Deinla, the effects of implementing such laws toward civil society groups are severe “not only through asset freezing but also through trumped-up charges.”
“We are just waiting for the right opportunity to question them (once again) to the Supreme Court,” Deinla later said.
The Defend NGOs Alliance said at least 69 development workers and 29 NGOs nationwide are currently facing terrorism-related charges.
“NGOs have served the marginalized sectors in the society. It is our duty, in fact, to provide these services. These organizations are providing their skills and competencies in engineering, education, and health. We complain and register our protest,” Shen Maglinte of LAGOM said.
