Immediate release of sickly peasant leader sought; Duterte blamed for endangering health of Canlas

Manila, Philippines – “Every single day that peasant leader Joseph Canlas is deprived of liberty is a ticking time bomb for his life. The Duterte government is accountable for whatever would happen to Canlas because of his unjust and prolonged detention,” according to the national fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) on Monday, as it demanded the immediate and unconditional release of detained peasant activist Joseph Canlas over humanitarian grounds.

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Fisherfolk couple murdered over long-running battle against coastal and land-use conversion — PAMALAKAYA

PAMALAKAYA said the fisherfolk couple Chai Lemita-Evangelista and Ariel Evangelista were both members of Ugnayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Pagwawasak ng Kalikasan at Kalupaan (UMALPAS KA), a local environmental organization in Nasugbu, Batangas. The Evangelistas were active in the long-standing campaign against coastal and land-grabbing by private developers within the 8,650-hectare Hacienda Looc in Nasugbu.

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