The human rights situation in the country remains dismal under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. , rights group Karapatan said.

As they commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on Dec. 10, Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said 87 activists have so far been killed in the government's counter-insurgency campaign under Marcos.

In the government's war on drugs, Palabay said nearly 500 suspected drug suspects were killed in alleged shootouts with law enforcers.

Karapatan, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and other cause-oriented groups on Friday started a 10-day commemoration of International Human Rights Day with testimonies of victims of human rights violations in communities under attack.

Among them are environmental activists Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro, who were allegedly abducted by state security forces in Bataan.

Apart from what she described as state-sponsored killings, Palabay said enforced disappearances, illegal arrests and detention still occur.

“Civilians are being increasingly targeted in the course of counter-insurgency operations through indiscriminate aerial bombings and artillery attacks, wreaking havoc on their lives and livelihood,” she said.

She and other activist leaders also stressed that issues of attacks on people’s rights need to be highlighted and addressed beyond the

commemoration, amidst the announcement of the resumption of formal peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. DMS