Free Legal Assistance Group

The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) is a nationwide organization of human rights lawyers in the Philippines.[1][2] It was founded in 1974 by Sen. Jose Diokno,[1] Lorenzo Tañada[3] and Joker Arroyo[4] during the martial law era under former President Ferdinand Marcos.[5]

FLAG members Atty. Chel Diokno (rightmost, in the foreground) and Former Senator Wigberto Tañada (leftmost in the background), alongside former Senator Nene Pimentel, and at the 2018 Honoring of Martyrs and Heroes at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani on 30 November 2018

It is the first and largest group of human rights lawyers established in the nation. They work on countering varied abuses of human rights and civil liberties. Its current chairman is human rights attorney Chel Diokno,[6] the founding dean of the De La Salle University College of Law. Among their lawyers is former Supreme Court spokesman[7] Theodore Te, currently representing Maria Ressa in her cyberlibel case.[8]

Founding and martial law era work

FLAG chairman Dean Diokno

FLAG was founded in 1974 by Sen. Jose W. Diokno,[9] Sen. Lorenzo M. Tañada[10] and Atty. Joker Arroyo[11] - two years after the 1972 proclamation of Martial law under Ferdinand Marcos. Diokno had conceived the law firm right after being released from 718 days as the Marcos administration's poltical prisoner,[12] as a means of supporting human rights victims through a new and innovative method called developmental legal aid.

During the dictatorship, FLAG defended farmers, similar victims of agrarian reform, and activists who were victims of paramilitary abuses, with Diokno noted to have helped even further by giving allowances to clients without any financial means.[13]

FLAG's activities sometimes placed lawyers working with them at risk. Among the FLAG lawyers murdered during the dictatorship[14] were Zorro Aguilar, Romraflo Taojo, and Crisostomo Cailing, all of whom have since been honored by having their names inscribed on the wall of remembrance at the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors the martyrs and heroes who fought against the Marcos' authoritarian rule.[15]

Recent history

Among the recent advocacies of FLAG in recent years has been to help stem the tide of Extra-Judicial Killings linked to the Philippine drug war.[16]

Notable members

Roberto A. Abad, associate justice of the Supreme Court
Zorro Aguilar, activist, newspaper editor, and human rights lawyer from Dipolog, Zamboanga who became a martyr during the late years of Marcos's militaristic regime.[14] One of the 65 names first inscribed on the wall of remembrance at the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors him as Martyr of the resistance against the dictatorship.
David Bueno, human rights lawyer, martial law activist, and martyr who defended Martial Law victims in Ilocos Norte, which was the native province of Ferdinand Marcos. One of the 65 names first inscribed on the wall of remembrance at the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors him as Martyr of the resistance against the dictatorship.
Marvic Leonen, associate justice of the Supreme Court[17]
Rosario "Chato" Olivas-Gallo, DLSU College of Law vice-dean, children's rights activist, and CEO of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, which is a human rights organization that protects persecuted Christians and is based in Hong Kong; Olivas-Gallo through Christian Solidarity Worldwide has also called for freer democratic processes in developing countries[18]
Manuel Quibod, human rights lawyer specializing in taxation law, FLAG Regional Coordinator for Southern Mindanao, and Dean of the Ateneo de Davao College of Law[19]
Rene Saguisag, senator, professor, Manila Times columnist, and lawyer who served as the spokesman for President Corazon Aquino after the 1986 People Power Revolution
Arno Sanidad, FLAG deputy secretary-general, law professor, and member of the Regional Council on Human Rights in Asia whose law office serves as FLAG's mailing address for filed grievances concerning abuse and reports of human rights violations
Lorenzo "Erin" Tañada III, human rights lawyer, congressman, activist, and news anchor and broadcaster for UNTV
Romraflo Taojo - Filipino labor and human rights lawyer, activist, and educator killed on April 2, 1985, when unidentified gunman believed to be part of a paramilitary group acting on orders from the militaryshot him in his apartment in Tagum, Davao del Norte. One of the 65 names first inscribed on the wall of remembrance at the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors him as Martyr of the resistance against the dictatorship.
Haydee B. Yorac, Commission on Elections Chairwoman, Chairwoman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, and Ramon Magsaysay Award Winner[20]

References

"Heroes and Martyrs: Diokno, Jose W." Bantayog ng mga Bayani. 2015-10-15. Archived from the original on 2017-08-05. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
Medina, Marielle (21 February 2017). "IN THE KNOW: FLAG". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2017-02-24. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
Clarke, Gerard (2006-05-17). The Politics of NGOs in Southeast Asia: Participation and Protest in the Philippines. Routledge. pp. 168–169, 173. ISBN 978-1-134-69535-5.
"Remembering Joker Arroyo". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2015-10-07. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
Francisco, Katerina (2017-02-20). "Meet Lascañas' battle-tested FLAG lawyers". Rappler. Retrieved 2020-06-18. Founded in 1974 by the late senators Jose W. Diokno, Lorenzo Tañada Sr, and Joker Arroyo, FLAG provided free legal services to victims of martial law during the Marcos years.
Chiu, Patricia Denise M. "Unique killings, same language, lawyers say of drug war reports". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
Buan, Lian (2018-09-03). "Spokesman Ted Te resigns from Supreme Court". Rappler. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
"Court convicts Rappler CEO Ressa in cyberlibel case". CNN Philippines. 2020-06-15. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
"DIOKNO, Jose W." 2015-10-15. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
Clarke, Gerard (2006-05-17). The Politics of NGOs in Southeast Asia: Participation and Protest in the Philippines. Routledge. pp. 168–169, 173. ISBN 978-1-134-69535-5.
"Remembering Joker Arroyo". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2015-10-07. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
"Xiao Time: Adbokasiya ng abugadong si Jose Diokno". 2013-02-26.
"A Survey of Private Legal Practitioners to Monitor Access to Justice by the Disadvantaged" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-10-15.
Margolick, David; Times, Special To the New York (1985-07-11). "BAR GROUP ASSAILS PHILIPPINES AS ABUSING LAWYERS (Published 1985)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2015-05-24. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
"Martyrs & Heroes".
Weiss, Brennan. "The lawyers on the front line of Duterte's drug war". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2021-03-07. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
"WHY LAWYERS MATTER - MARVIC LEONEN". 2013-11-18.
"Activists to campaign for freer Myanmar". 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
Torres-Tupas, Tetch. "Top lawyers revive old group to fight Duterte policies".
Contributor, Staff (2017-01-18). "MARTYRS AND HEROES: Yorac, Haydee B." Bantayog ng mga Bayani. Archived from the original on 2017-12-29. Retrieved 2021-05-16.

External links

official website

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[BantayogProfileDioknoJoseW-1] "Heroes and Martyrs: Diokno, Jose W." Bantayog ng mga Bayani. 2015-10-15. Archived from the original on 2017-08-05. Retrieved 2019-07-21.

[Medina20170221-2] Medina, Marielle (21 February 2017). "IN THE KNOW: FLAG". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2017-02-24. Retrieved 2019-07-21.

[3] Clarke, Gerard (2006-05-17). The Politics of NGOs in Southeast Asia: Participation and Protest in the Philippines. Routledge. pp. 168–169, 173. ISBN 978-1-134-69535-5.

[4] "Remembering Joker Arroyo". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2015-10-07. Retrieved 2019-07-24.

[5] Francisco, Katerina (2017-02-20). "Meet Lascañas' battle-tested FLAG lawyers". Rappler. Retrieved 2020-06-18. Founded in 1974 by the late senators Jose W. Diokno, Lorenzo Tañada Sr, and Joker Arroyo, FLAG provided free legal services to victims of martial law during the Marcos years.

[PatriciaDeniseChiu20190405-6] Chiu, Patricia Denise M. "Unique killings, same language, lawyers say of drug war reports". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2019-07-21.

[7] Buan, Lian (2018-09-03). "Spokesman Ted Te resigns from Supreme Court". Rappler. Retrieved 2020-06-18.

[8] "Court convicts Rappler CEO Ressa in cyberlibel case". CNN Philippines. 2020-06-15. Retrieved 2020-06-18.

[9] "DIOKNO, Jose W." 2015-10-15. Retrieved 2020-10-15.

[10] Clarke, Gerard (2006-05-17). The Politics of NGOs in Southeast Asia: Participation and Protest in the Philippines. Routledge. pp. 168–169, 173. ISBN 978-1-134-69535-5.

[11] "Remembering Joker Arroyo". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2015-10-07. Retrieved 2019-07-24.

[12] "Xiao Time: Adbokasiya ng abugadong si Jose Diokno". 2013-02-26.

[13] "A Survey of Private Legal Practitioners to Monitor Access to Justice by the Disadvantaged" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-10-15.

[NYTFLAGmurders-14] Margolick, David; Times, Special To the New York (1985-07-11). "BAR GROUP ASSAILS PHILIPPINES AS ABUSING LAWYERS (Published 1985)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2015-05-24. Retrieved 2021-02-08.

[15] "Martyrs & Heroes".

[16] Weiss, Brennan. "The lawyers on the front line of Duterte's drug war". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2021-03-07. Retrieved 2021-10-30.

[17] "WHY LAWYERS MATTER - MARVIC LEONEN". 2013-11-18.

[18] "Activists to campaign for freer Myanmar". 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2021-07-31.

[19] Torres-Tupas, Tetch. "Top lawyers revive old group to fight Duterte policies".

[BantayogProfileYorac-20] Contributor, Staff (2017-01-18). "MARTYRS AND HEROES: Yorac, Haydee B." Bantayog ng mga Bayani. Archived from the original on 2017-12-29. Retrieved 2021-05-16.