In celebration of the International Human Rights Week 2009,Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), and in promotion and defense of human rights launched the Human Rights Defenders-Pilipinas on December 3, 2009.

Dubbed as “National Human Rights Defenders Conference”, the launch was held back to back with the “National Anti-Mining Conference” December 1 to 3, 2009 at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde’s,Taft Campus.

Atty. Jessica Gambol-Schuck, representative of the Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Atty. Leila De Lima and Human Rights Defenders from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao attended the December 3,2009 event.

This aims to consolidate and organize human rights defenders around the country and collectively face series of harassments and violations committed against the Filipinos and the human rights defenders themselves, especially to the large-scale mining stricken communities (Site of Peoples Resistance), militarized areas and marginalized sectors of society.

The effort is also a response to the unresolved cases of extra judicial killings, torture, enforced disappearance and the continuous victimization of human rights defenders like in the recent brutal “Maguinadanao Massacre” that includes media personel and innocent civilians.

HRD-Pilipinas will also campaign for the Human Rights Agenda for 2010 national election.

December 1,2009- Day 1 of National Anti-mining Conference held at School of Designs and Arts (SDA) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde at Vito Cruz St., Manila