On the initiative and with active participation of the Foundation an international fact finding mission took place in the Philippines in June 2024 focused on 59 extra judicial killings and other serious human rights violations against legal professionals between 2016 and 2023.
The shocking report of this committee of inquiry is ready .
The mission investigated numerous cases involving lawyers, judges and prosecutors who were subjected to harassment , violence or worse for carrying out their professional duties. 59 killings on lawyers took place. The committee found that in almost none of this cases perpetrators were actively searched or prosecuted and never was one perpetrator brought to trial. Furthermore, the committee has serious suspicion that these killings were orchestraded by the government -related circles.
Please find the report here , and do feel free to circulate it within your own networks. You can also watch the powerful documentary film directed by Jacco Groen here
Action : DAY OF THE ENDANGERED LAWYER 2026 The international coalition for the Day of the Endangered Lawyer will meet on the 17th of June 2025 to choose from six proposed countries the designated country for 2026
Invitation – Caravana Filipina report – Press release
Subject: Invitation – Presentation of Report on Attacks Against Legal Professionals in the Philippines |
June 4, The Hague
You are cordially invited to attend the official presentation of “Black Robes, Red Targets”, the report of
the fact-finding mission on extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations against legal
professionals in the Philippines (2016–2023).
Date: Wednesday, 4 June 2025
Time: 17:00 – 18:00
Venue: Nieuwspoort Press Center, Bezuidenhoutseweg 67, The Hague, Netherlands
Format: This will be a hybrid event with the option to join in person or online (registration needed)
This report presents the findings of the Caravana Filipina, a 12-member international delegation of legal
experts who carried out an independent fact-finding mission in the Philippines from 4 to 14 June 2024.
Their investigation uncovered a disturbing pattern of extrajudicial killings, harassment, and systemic
repression targeting legal professionals — acts closely tied to former President Duterte’s violent war on
drugs and an entrenched culture of impunity.
During the event, members of the Caravana Filipina will present their findings, answer questions, and
reflect on the implications of these human rights violations for democracy, the rule of law, and the legal
profession in the Philippines. The report not only offers a focused examination and contributes to a broader
understanding of the repression faced by the Philippine legal profession but also honors the extraordinary
resilience of lawyers who continue to fight for justice and democracy in the face of lethal threats.
For a glimpse into the urgency and context behind this mission, we invite you to view a short teaser
video (approx. 3 min) here.
Please confirm your attendance (in person or online) by signing up here.
We look forward to welcoming you.
Sincerely,Caravana Filipina
Fact-finding mission on extrajudicial killings and other gross human rights violations against legal
professionals in the Philippines (2016-2023)