PHILIPPINES / Presentation of the report “Black Robes, Red Targets” at The Hague
THE HAGUE, 4 June 2025 – The Philippine Caravan – an international fact-finding mission led by a coalition of ten legal organisations, including the International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger – has presented its “Black Robes, Red Targets” report, which reveals serious human rights violations committed against legal professionals in the Philippines between 2016 and 2023.
This hard-hitting report documents an alarming pattern of extrajudicial killings, groundless accusations of communist sympathies (red-tagging), threats and abuse of the legal system (lawfare) against lawyers, judges and prosecutors – solely for exercising their profession.
In June 2024, the Philippine Caravan gathered twelve lawyers from different countries to investigate the growing threats faced by those who defend the rule of law in an increasingly hostile environment.
These violations are part of a broader context of state repression, especially under the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte and his so-called “war on drugs”. While former president Duterte is currently in detention and awaiting trial before the International Criminal Court, The Hague (the seat of this international court) has established itself as a symbolic and relevant venue for the presentation of the Caravan’s findings.
Press conference
The presentation of “Black Robes, Red Targets” began with an introduction by members of the Philippine Caravan, who painted an alarming picture of a justice system under siege. “Judicial systems cannot function – and democracies cannot survive – when those who defend the law are attacked for doing so,” declared the coalition at the event.
After presenting the main conclusions of the report, the Caravan delegation set out a series of urgent recommendations. These are addressed not only to the institutions of the Philippine State, but also constitute a broader call to action addressed to the international community, bar associations and civil society actors around the world. Among them is the recommendation that the Philippine State accede to the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Legal Profession.
From legal analysis to real-life experience
The session then moved on to testimonies. Philippine human rights lawyer Maria Kristina Conti, Secretary General of the National Union of People’s Lawyers and representative of victims before the ICC, shared her personal testimony, describing the red-tagging, online harassment and threats she suffers for defending the rule of law. She was followed by Clarissa Ramos, human rights defender and widow of murdered lawyer Benjamin Ramos. She gave a powerful testimony of her ongoing fight for justice after the murder of her husband, who had been labelled a communist. These stories gave a human face to the findings of the report and highlighted the extraordinary resilience and bravery of legal professionals in the Philippines today.
Main conclusions and ongoing advocacy
The report documents dozens of cases of harassment, red-tagging and murders of lawyers, judges and prosecutors, the majority of which go unpunished. During its ten days of intensive fieldwork, the delegation met nearly 100 people, including legal professionals, journalists, activists and victims’ families. It also engaged with high-level institutions such as the Supreme Court, the Human Rights Commission, as well as various civil society groups and academics.
These findings serve as a basis for continued advocacy efforts to secure justice, as well as for the implementation of meaningful protection measures for legal professionals in the Philippines.
The mission’s work continues, in solidarity with those on the front line in the fight for human rights and the rule of law.
