A court in Nueva Vizcaya has dismissed criminal charges against three Indigenous environmental defenders arrested during a community barricade against mining exploration in Kasibu, Nordis reported on Tuesday, October 13.
According to the Alyansa ng Novo Vizcayano para sa Kalikasan (ANVIK), the Municipal Trial Court dismissed charges of grave coercion and resistance and disobedience to a person in authority against Leijin Dugay, Donny Dugay, and June Fiataccag. The court found no judicial probable cause to proceed.
In an October 12 statement, ANVIK said prosecutors failed to prove that the barricade stood on a public road.
What Happened
The case came from an August 19 confrontation in Barangay Paquet. Residents blocked an attempt to bring seven drums of fuel to Barangay Pao, one of the exploration sites of North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation (NLMRC).
Police arrested the three without warrants. ANVIK said they were blocking the delivery peacefully and called the arrests violent.
“We Have Fewer Things to Worry About”
For Leijin Dugay, the ruling eased the pressure on residents keeping the barricade.
“Sobrang saya kasi nabawasan ang aalalahanin namin dito sa barikada,” she said. (We’re so happy because we have fewer things to worry about here at the barricade.)
In a separate case, a court also dismissed seven counts of cyberlibel against Florentino Daynos II, an anti-mining resident of Dupax del Norte, citing “insufficiency of evidence.”
The Barricade Continues
Kasibu residents have kept up barricades for five months to stop NLMRC’s exploration. Leijin said residents and supporters have faced intimidation and harassment, including arrests and cases.
“Kahit na magsampa sila nang magsampa ng kaso sa amin, hindi na nila mababago ang desisyon namin na ituloy ang pagbabarikada,” she said. (No matter how many cases they file against us, they cannot change our decision to continue the barricade.)
She also appealed to NLMRC to stop filing cases against residents.
Calls to End “SLAPP” Suits
ANVIK called the ruling a win against what it alleged were NLMRC efforts to silence defenders through strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP), and called for other such cases to be dismissed.
“Hindi krimen na ipagtanggol ang lupa, kabuhayan, karapatan at kinabukasan,” the group said. (It is not a crime to defend land, livelihood, rights and the future.)
