WASHINGTON, DC—Demonstrators neatly laid out 3,000 pairs of tsinelas (flip-flops) at National Mall here to urge US Congress to pass the Philippine Human Rights Act.

If passed, the bill introduced by US Rep. Susan Wild would cut US aid for Philippine security because of alleged human rights violations.

Protesters said these alleged violations have been happening since President Duterte came to office.

"We're here because since 2016 when President Rodrigo Duterte took office, his administration has committed egregious human rights violations against the Filipino people -- from Duterte's war on drugs, which has claimed the lives of over 30,000 people. Just let that number sink in for a minute -- 30,000 people," said Kristen Kumph of Katarungan, DC.

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Protesters alleged that much of the violence were perpetuated by police and military forces of the Philippines using military funding and weapon sales from the US.

"Between 2016 and 2021, the US government awarded the Philippine government over $700 million in military aid and $2 billion in arms sales that is $700 million in military aid and $2 billion in arms sales of our tax dollars that we pay here that has gone to the killing of over 30,000 people that we are gathered to honor today," Kumph said.

Protesters urged the Biden administration and US Congress to take immediate action over what they described as a human rights crisis in the Philippines.

Organizers said the 3,000 flip-flops were also a grave reminder of the 30,000 lives lost under President Duterte's war on drugs.

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"While we Americans relish in the comfort of our tsinelas, Philippine youth’s tsinelas are the constant reminder of the oppressive society they live in . . . But to me it represents the possibility that they will never get to have a future, a career, food to eat or life to live as they’re killed off by the Duterte regime," said Gabriel Young of the Philippine Cultural Society, George Washington University.

"The dichotomy of footwear I present today exhibits why we Filipino Americans must take action and represent our Kababayans back home."

Wild tweeted: "This human rights tragedy must end. It's time to pass my bill, the Philippine Human Rights Act."