KALIKASAN PEOPLE’S NETWORK FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
PRESS RELEASE
August 29, 2023
Environmental groups expressed alarm over a string of harassment and red-tagging incidents against land and environmental activists in Isabela, Cagayan Valley, which took place across the entire month of August.
A report by farmers organization AMBI Amihan Isabela disclosed that six individuals, mostly female peasant advocates, faced various forms of surveillance, harassment, and red-tagging across nine separate incidents this month. The most recent incident took place last August 27, where residents of Purok 7, Brgy. Lapogan were forced to “surrender” as rebels in a barangay assembly at the height of the onslaught of Typhoon Goring in the area.
“It is deeply concerning that attacks against land and environmental defenders in Northern Luzon have continued,” said Jon Bonifacio, national coordinator of Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment. “At this point, it is clear that there is a concerted effort by the Marcos Jr. administration to intimidate and silence activists in Northern Luzon — all the more reason to push back against these attacks.”
Kalikasan PNE said that one of the issues faced by the communities in Isabela include harassment and destruction of property reportedly carried out by agents of Golden Summit Mining Corporation last December 2022.
Over the past few months, several environmental advocates across the Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, and the Cagayan Valley region have faced various forms of harassment and persecution. This includes the recent terrorist prescription of members of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance, which also caused alarm among environmentalists.
The Philippines has also consistently ranked as the worst country in Asia for land and environmental defenders, with at least 270 defenders murdered from 2012 to 2021.
“As we tackle the ecological and climate crisis at hand, we must also ensure that the people defending our planet are protected from these kinds of threats,” said Dr. Jean Lindo, spokesperson of the Environmental Defenders Congress, a nationwide network of environmental advocates. “We urge the Marcos Jr. administration to recognize and act upon the human rights crisis faced by our defenders, so that we can put a stop to these attacks.” #
Contact:
Jon Bonifacio / National Coordinator, Kalikasan PNE
secretariat@kalikasan.net / 0939 913 6943
#DefendTheDefenders
#DefendNorthernLuzon
