MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The National Union of People鈥檚 Lawyers (NUPL) said the human rights award from the Philippine lawyers鈥� organization 鈥渁ffirmed their role in defending freedoms鈥� and 鈥渟hielded them against red-tagging.鈥�
Last Thursday, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) gave three NUPL lawyers its first-ever Human Rights Award to recognize 鈥渆xceptional contributions in the protection and advancement of human rights through the practice of law.鈥�
鈥淭his landmark recognition brings a well-deserved spotlight on the critical role of human rights lawyering in fostering a just and humane society,鈥� NUPL said in a statement on Friday.
鈥淚t affirms the critical role of people鈥檚 lawyers in defending rights and freedoms, battling impunity, and advocating for systemic change,鈥� it added.
NUPL鈥檚 Edre OIalia was selected for Luzon, Kristian Jacob Lora for Visayas, and Antonio Azarcon for Mindanao.
鈥淭his award also provides a further shield against vicious 鈥榬ed-tagging鈥� of comrades-in-law including yours truly,鈥� Olalia said in his acceptance speech.
READ: Red-tagging a threat to life and liberty 鈥� SC
Olalia is NUPL chairperson and transitional president of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers.
He was legal counsel for Filipino domestic worker Flor Contemplacion, who was convicted and executed for murder in Singapore in 1995.
READ: Filipino lawyer elected transitional president of int鈥檒 group
The NUPL chairperson was also among the lawyers for Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipino arrested and sentenced to death for drug trafficking in Indonesia in 2010.
Veloso was given temporary reprieve in 2015 and will be returned to the Philippines this December after a decade of diplomacy.
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Meanwhile, Lora is a litigator with the Visayas Community Law Center, taking on cases of human rights and public interest pro bono.
Furthermore, Azarcon is a human rights lawyer with a career spanning nearly 50 years, providing legal aid to victims of torture and extrajudicial killings as chairperson of the Union of People鈥檚 Lawyers in Mindanao.
READ: NUPL: Drug war victims, families ready to cooperate with ICC probe
鈥淭his award is not about prestige or status, much less translate to higher attorney鈥檚 fees nor increase in one鈥檚 fair market value as I have already chosen to immerse myself in people鈥檚 lawyering,鈥� Olalia said.
鈥淭he message that it brings hopefully would inspire others even as I am myself reinvigorated with renewed zest as we refuse to sit idly by but stand up and fight for what is just,鈥� he added.