This article presents an overview of the challenges faced by human rights organizations and survivors of torture in seeking justice despite the availability of an anti-torture law in the Philippines. Several legal, political and security-related impediments are cited here to raise the challenge to state agencies to undertake steps to break the culture of impunity in the country by making the anti-torture law an effective remedy to prevent torture and for the victims to obtain redress. This paper draws lessons and recommendations from the insights generated by the authors in the course of their participation in the IRCT-led FEAT project.

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A statement from Balay Rehabilitation Center

Like a number of advocates of children's rights, we at Balay, also believe that lowering the age of criminal responsibility is not the solution to the problem we face with children being involved in criminal activities and violence.

In this position paper, we would like to share our experiences in working in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City (Bagong Silang hereafter) with our children and youth partners who, once or several times in their lives, have been involved in illegal activities. We would like put across the message that lowering the age of criminal responsibility is a short-term fix for a problem that requires long-term efforts. Likewise, we also believe that we need to transform popular perception, especially for adults and law enforcement agencies, to the understanding that children and youths are often victims rather than perpetrators. We also argue for the position that the spirit of the Juvenile Justice Law is correct and wise, but is not fully utilized due to ineffective implementation and the lack of resources devoted to its objectives.

26 June 2012 – Quezon City, around 650 individuals from the civil society, government agencies and communites in Metro Manila gathered and ran along EDSA in participation to the Basta! Run Against Torture (BRAT). BRAT is an annual event, is a public demonstration where individuals from the civil society and communities express their want for a torture free Philippines. Moreover, BRAT is a showcase of parntership and solidarity between the civil society organizations and the government sector in the realization of the said vision.

June 26, 2012, Balay Rehabilitation Center (Balay) together with partner civil society organizations and concerned government agencies will gather around 650 participants in a symbolic run to join the world in solidarity to the United Nations International Day in Support of Torture Victims.

The run entitled "Basta! Run Against Torture" (BRAT), now on its sixth installment, was initiated by the United against Torture Coalition (UATC). The UATC is a network of anti-torture advocates formed back in May 2002 spearheaded by Balay Rehabilitation Center (BALAY), Amnesty International Philippines (AIPh), Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), Medical Action Group (MAG), Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), and the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearances (FIND).