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Filipino American Youth Unity Statement Against the Anti-Terror Law
We, the undersigned Filipino American youth and students in the United States, strongly condemn the passing of the Anti-Terror Law by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. The passing of the Anti-Terror Law does nothing but approve state terror and further infringe on human rights in the Philippines. Duterte and the Philippine government fast-tracked this law in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, completely disregarding the needs of the Filipino people for mass testing and medical solutions, economic assistance, food and relief.
Background
The Philippine Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 amends the 2007 Human Security Act by expanding the definition of terrorism and who is considered to be a “terrorist.” With the expansion of the definition of terrorism, any suspected acts of terrorism permits the surveillance, warrantless arrest, lack of due process, and detention of suspects for up to twenty-four (24) days. The Philippine Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 is another addition to Duterte’s other human rights violations. Human rights advocates stress the fact that the Anti-Terrorism Act will lead to abuses that stifle free speech.
The signing of this bill comes after a slew of attacks on the freedom of the Filipino people, from the shutting down of ABS-CBN, the unlawful arrest of the #Pride20 during a peaceful Pride protest, and the arrest of the CEO of Rappler, Maria Ressa. The Duterte government has shown to care more about strengthening a de facto martial law in the Philippines than the health and well-being of the people during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the lack of mass testing and medical supplies.
Impacts on Filipino American Youth:
As members of Filipino American organizations, we recognize our existence is both political and a privilege. With the expansion of the definition of terrorism, our fundraisers, Pilipino Culture Nights, and open dialogues (ex. workshops, events, educational discussions) could fall under the new definition of terrorism because our programing and existence is inherently political. Filipino American organizations not only have the obligation to serve those on our campuses, but to also learn about the issues that affect those in the Philippines. As members of the Filipino diaspora, our families in the Philippines who openly criticize President Duterte and the Philippine Government will be targeted by the Philippine Anti-Terrorism Act.
As Filipino American youth, we are a product of migration that is a direct result of the socioeconomic and political strife in the Philippines via colonization and US interference; as people in the US, we have a role to play and direct responsibility to the issues in the Philippines.
We must also support the Overseas Filipino Workers and J1 workers, many of whom are youth, that are directly affected by this law as many of them have expressed neglect from the Philippine government in securing their safety and livelihood during the pandemic.
Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere – where we allow these human rights violations and injustices to occur, it supports other countries including that of the US to do the same and normalizes the suppression of our voices and rights.
Take Action – Endorse our Unity Statement: https://bit.ly/KAATB
The time to act is now. When our people are threatened, we must unite and rise up against state repression. We call on the Filipino American youth to take action and stand for human rights and democracy of our people.
The Undersigned,
- Kabataan Alliance
- Anakbayan USA
- Northwest Filipino American Student Alliance
- Southern California Pilipinx-American Student Alliance
- Northern California Pilipinx American Student Alliance
- Midwest Association for Filipino Americans
- The Sisterhood of Pi Nu Iota
- Filipino American Student Association at University of Portland
- Filipino American Student Association at University of Washington – Tacoma
- Kultura Pilipinas at University of Oregon
- Pilipinx American Student Union at Stanford University
- Boston Pilipinx Education, Advocacy, and Resources
- Filipino American Association at Indiana University
- Pilipinx American Youth Alliance of Fresno
- Pilipinos of Hunter at City University of New York – Hunter College
- Troy Philippines at University of Southern California
- Magkaisa Filipino Club at California State University – Fresno
- Kapwa at Loyola University Chicago
- Filipino American Students of Oakland University
- Pagsikapan at California State University – Dominguez Hills
- Filipino American Student Association at Seattle Pacific University
- Filipino American Student Union at University of North Carolina – Charlotte
- Filipino-American Student Association at Western Washington University
- Anakbayan Austin
- Filipino League at Seton Hall at Seton Hall University
- Pilipino American Collegiate Endeavor at San Francisco State University
- Filipinx American Student Organization at University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Kapamilya Club at Eastern Michigan University
- Filipino Ugnayan Student Organization at University of San Diego
- Philippine United Student Organization at State University of New York – Stony Brook University
- Filipinx Health Initiative San Francisco
- Kaibigan at Portland State University
- Samahang Pilipino at California State University – Sacramento
- Pilipino American Student Society at Michigan State University
- Diwang Kabataan
- Pilipinx American Student Association at California State University – East Bay
- Filipino Student Society of Wayne State University
- Anakbayan Philadelphia
- Kilusan Pilipino at University of the Pacific
- Kappa Psi Epsilon Beta Chapter at San Francisco State University
- Philippine Cultural Society at George Washington University
- League of Filipino Students at San Francisco State University
- Filipino Cultural Association at the University of Maryland – College Park
- KALAHI at DePaul University
- Kasamahan at University of San Francisco
- Filipino Association of Stevens Tech at Stevens Institute of Technology
- Filipino American Student Association at University of Washington – Seattle
- Anakbayan Washington, D.C
- Kababayan Filipino Club at Simmons University
- Psychology Club at George Mason University
- Association of Filipino Students at University of South Florida
- Filipino Student Association at Florida State University
- Isang Bansang Pilipino at Oregon State University
- Filipino American Student Association at University of Michigan
- The Brotherhood of Chi Theta Psi
- Filipino Student Association at Saint Louis University
- Filipino-American Student Association at Washington State University
- Anakbayan Queens New York
- Anakbayan Long Beach
- Student Association for Filipino Americans at University of Michigan – Dearborn
- Kasama: the Filipinx Club at Yale University
- Philippine Americans Reaching Everyone at St. John’s University
- Filipinos Uniting Students In Other Nations at City University of New York – Baruch College
- Filipino Student Union at University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee
- Anakbayan Portland
- Filipino Youth In Action
- Anakbayan Chicago
- Alpha Kappa Omega at California State University – East Bay
- Isang Hakbang
- Anakbayan Seattle
- Filipino Student Association at the University of Central Florida
- Filipino Intercultural Society of Drexel University
- Anakbayan North Jersey
- Anakbayan Rutgers
- {m}aganda Magazine
- Anakbayan at University of California – Los Angeles
- Asians Reaching Out
- Pilipino American Students Association of Stockton University
- Philippine Student Association at University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign
- Anakbayan Davis
- Pilipino Students of Arts and Culture at California State University – Sacramento
- Filipinx American Student Association at University of Nevada – Las Vegas
- Club Filipino at Georgetown University
- Barangay Chabot at Chabot College
- Penn Philippine Association at University of Pennsylvania
- Filipino American Student Association at California State University – Northridge
- Bridge: Pilipinx Outreach & Retention at University of California – Davis
- Pilipino Cultural Organization at University of the Sciences
- Purdue Filipino Association at Purdue University
- Filipino-American Student Association at Whitworth University
- Temple University Philippine American Council
- Filipino American Student Association at University of Washington – Bothell
- Philippine-American Coalition at American University
- Filipinx Association for Health Careers at the University of Washington – Seattle
- Pilipinx Association of Scientists, Architects, and Engineers at University of California – Berkley
- Mga Kapatid at University of California – Davis
- Pilipinx American Alliance at University of California – Berkeley
- Philippine Intercultural Student Organization at Vanderbilt University
- Florida Asian American Student Union at University of South Florida
- Kappa Psi Epsilon Sorority, INC., Epsilon Chapter at Sacramento State University
- Filipino Student Association at University of Miami
- Kasamahan in the United States of America (KUSA)
- Filipino Barkada at Westmoor High School
- Hip Hop Elements at James Logan High School
and 535 individuals as of August 8, 2020.
Learn the ways you can Take Action today by visiting http://junkterrorlawnow.carrd.co/
