Amnesty International has called on the government to review anti-terror law cases against human rights defenders following the acquittal of child rights advocate Ma. Salome 'Sally' Ujano in her rebellion case.
Ujano, former national coordinator of Philippines Against Child Trafficking, was arrested in November 2021 in connection with a 2005 ambush of two military personnel in Quezon Province.
She was sentenced in 2024 by the Taguig Regional Trial Court to 10 to 17 years in prison, but the Court of Appeals overturned the conviction, ruling that the evidence against her and her co-accused “fails to establish with the required moral certainty” their participation in the alleged rebellion.
Ujano’s acquittal sparked renewed calls for accountability.
Amnesty International said her case is part of a “pattern of harassing human rights defenders, journalists, and development workers by filing fabricated charges against them.”
“It was no surprise that Ujano was acquitted, since she should not have been charged in the first place,” Amnesty said, calling the case “a clear miscarriage of justice and the improper use of criminal proceedings based on trumped-up charges.”
The rights group urged the Marcos administration to conduct “a prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigation into abuses in the implementation of the Anti-Terrorism Act and related laws,” noting that such legislation grants “excessive and unchecked powers” that are vulnerable to arbitrary enforcement.
“These two administrations [Duterte and Marcos] have been relentless in silencing dissent and criticism by curtailing peoples’ rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association,” Amnesty added.
It also warned that filing such cases threatens the colleagues of activists and hampers advocacy work.
Reuniting with her family, Ujano expressed relief and gratitude. “Finally, truth and justice prevailed. Miracles do happen,” she said.
Her son, Klaro Ujano, highlighted the timing of the acquittal during Women’s Month, saying, “The Court of Appeals’ decision affirms what we have long known—the accusations against our mother were baseless. This acquittal restores not only her freedom, but also our faith that truth and justice can still prevail.”
The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) hailed the ruling as a landmark victory for justice. Secretary-General Edgar Cabalitan said the acquittal “proves that while the wheels of justice may grind slowly, they can still crush the walls of impunity when we stand together.”
He emphasized that while Ujano’s release is a win, “many others remain behind bars due to trumped-up charges,” and called for the dismissal of other baseless cases used to suppress dissent.
Amnesty reiterated its call for the government to stop intimidating human rights defenders and to support efforts to pass the proposed Human Rights Defenders Protection Act.