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Amnesty International (AI) Philippines sent letters to the presidential bets - Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Grace Poe, Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel "Mar" Roxas II and Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago - asking them to respond to its five-point human rights agenda:
1. End extrajudicial executions, unlawful arrests, secret detention, enforced disappearances, torture and other ill-treatment and prevent the use of counterinsurgency and counterterrorism to justify human rights violations
2. Establish control and accountability over the military, police and other state-sponsored forces and ensure witness protection
3. Ensure safe and voluntary return of the displaced and embed human rights protection in the peace process
4. Make human rights a priority integrated across government bodies
5. Ratify treaties on human rights and international humanitarian law
"While most issues were tackled by previous administrations, we believe that in order to sustain any progress achieved in critical areas, an incoming strong leadership with clear human rights agenda is essential," AI Philippines Chair Ritz Lee Santos III said.
Santos noted that the human rights organization is yet to receive a response from the offices of presidential candidates regarding their platforms on the issue.
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