We condemn the detention and deportation of Giacomo Filibeck, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Party of European Socialists (PES), in Cebu, Philippines, on Sunday.

Filibeck was on his way to join the Congress of Akbayan Party, a sister party of PES, where he was invited as a guest.

Filibeck was blacklisted by the Philippine government for joining an international solidarity mission on October 2017 where they, together with Progressive Alliance, have denounced the campaign against drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte where thousands were killed, including young people and children.

This is an alarming case of silencing the strong voices for human rights.

Filibeck was in the Philippines in solidarity with the Filipino people in their campaign for justice and human rights.

The unfair deportation of Giacomo Filibeck shows that Duterte is closing the doors for cooperation with the international community to stop the killings in the Philippines.

We stand in solidarity with our comrades in the Philippines in their campaign for justice, democracy and human rights as the Duterte government is unfolding into an authoritarian regime.