Although referred to as heaven on Earth for its beauty and rich natural resources, the Philippines is a literal hell for environmental defenders.
For nine consecutive years, the country has been the undisputed deadliest place for environmental defenders and activists in Asia. According to the 2022 report of Global Witness, an international environment watchdog, there were 19 recorded killings of land and environmental defenders in the Philippines for 2021, ranking fourth worldwide.
Aside from the killings, green activists are also being red-tagged and abused in the country. They are labeled as terrorists and linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) for their defiance of projects that could possibly pose harm to the environment and the people.
More than that, state-organized attacks are also rampant. The state forces are harassing environmental defenders. Some are even unlawfully arrested and detained without charges.
What is even sadder is that most of these attacks are targeted against the indigenous people’s (IP) group.
Up in the north
Like in most parts of the country, the situation of environmental defenders in the northern region is no different, most especially in the mountains of the Cordilleras. IP activists are also targeted for their work and movement in protecting their lands.
Honestly, this does not come as a surprise. Ever since before, state forces have had habits of picking on those who are small and powerless. They target those who they think they can easily silence all while turning a blind eye to the real enemies of the environment.
In an interview with The World, Windel Bolinget, an environmental activist, chairperson of the Cordillera People’s Alliance, and a proud member of the Igorot tribe, recalled the tremors of the multiple state-organized attacks he experienced.
“In the Cordillera, our ancestral domains are targeted for big hydropower or dam projects, large-scale mining,” Bolinget said. “And our communities are resisting these projects because it violates our collective rights to our ancestral lands.”
Bolinget, just like other native activists fighting for their lands, is known for his activism in opposing development projects in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). The region is full of untouched and unexploited natural resources, which is why it has been under the radar of big and private corporations, such as the Pan Pacific Renewable Power Philippines Corp. and JBD Water Power Inc., for various development and infrastructure projects, including the controversial Apayao Dam and the Chinese-funded Chico River Pump Irrigation.
In 2018, the Igorot activist found his name included among the 600 names tagged as terrorists and members of the CPP. Despite his name and hundreds of others being removed from the list, the intimidation from the state continued. Who knew that this would be the start of much worse attacks toward IP activists?
Another instance occurred in 2020 when he was issued a warrant of arrest for being falsely accused of murder, where a shoot-to-kill order was placed on his head. Thankfully, his lawyers were able to get the warrant dropped, as all of this was fabricated. Imagine how low the state can go. Making up cases, and even ordering Bolinget to be gunned down, just to gag him from speaking up? Absolutely ridiculous.
Earlier this February, an arrest warrant was issued not only for Bolinget but also for five other IP activists and environmental defenders, and also to a community journalist, all of whom are from northern Luzon. Collectively, they are now known as the Northern Luzon 7. Along with the arrest warrants are rebellion and insurrection charges ordered by the state.
On May 11, the Bangued Regional Trial Court Branch 2 quashed the warrants of arrest and so as the rebellion charges against the Northern Luzon 7 activists. Justice was served and their names were cleared.
However, these kinds of harassment toward environmental defenders need to stop. It is getting out of hand and is starting to look as if the state favors infrastructure projects more than the well-being of its people – in this case, the IPs.
Kalinga bombings
Since early March, the locals from the municipality of Balbalan, Kalinga have been reporting a series of bombings near their communities, causing fear and disruption to their livelihood. These bombings were brought by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as they continued their strike against suspected “NPA” guerillas in the area.
Balbalan is also the site of strongly opposed mining and hydroelectric power projects (HEPP), like the 49-MW Saltan D and the 40-MW Mabaca HEPP projects. The locals in the area have been objecting to these projects because they will destroy their communities.
These bombings by the AFP are a clear manifestation of the direct show of power, intimidation, and warning to those who dare try to stop the dams from being built.
Both the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) and Justice and Peace Advocates in Kalinga (JPAK) have called on the government to stop the bombings and artillery bombardments in Balbalan.
Despite the clamor and calls brought by the Northern Luzon 7 and the recent bombings, the current administration of Pres. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has fallen deaf and mute regarding these issues and is yet to make a statement.
IPs on green activism
ENVIRONMENTAL HERO. Teddy Baguilat points out the critical role of the indigenous community in environmental protection at the UPB environmental symposium last March 18. Photo and caption by Vlad Manganan.
In an environmental symposium held last March 18 at the University of the Philippines Baguio, IP rights and environmental advocate Teddy Baguilat highlighted the rights of the indigenous groups to the genuine protection of the environment.
“For us IPs, the environment is an integral part of our daily living,” Baguilat said in Filipino. “It is part of our heritage, our culture.”
The environment cannot be taken away from the IPs because, for so long, they have protected and cultivated it. The IPs have nurtured the environment with their blood, sweat, and tears. What kind of heartless monster can someone transform into to displace the indigenous people from their homes?
Baguilat also stressed that one could not be an environmentalist and not listen to the calls of the indigenous people. This makes sense because if there are people who truly know what is best and how to value the environment, it is the IPs. They have lived their lives under the care of the environment since time immemorial.
The former Ifugao governor reiterated that fighting for the environment does not equate to objection to development.
True development can never be measured by the enormous dams and other infrastructures, especially if it will result in damaging the environment and possibly wiping out ancestral lands. Environmental activists are not against development. What these people do not agree with is the lack of representation of environmentalists in the discussion concerning the environment. True development is seen when humans and the environment are living harmoniously with one another.
“Being an environmentalist doesn’t make you anti-development in the same way being an activist doesn’t make you a terrorist.” Baguilat expounded.
IPs have long been at the forefront of defending the environment. Instead of heeding their calls, what they receive are blatant red-tagging, intimidation from state forces, and to a much worse extent, their imminent death. Is this the price they have to pay just to protect their homes?
Defend the defenders
In Baguio City, the Cordillera Green Network (CGN) is an environmental non-governmental organization (NGO) that has been working with different indigenous groups in the whole CAR, transforming their communities into models of sustainable resource management, as well as preserving the environment while improving their way of living.
The state should learn from environmental groups such as the CGN. Instead of taunting IPs, the government should stand with them in solidarity. What is the point of development if it entails the endangerment of homes, livelihood, culture, heritage, and identity of our indigenous brothers and sisters? In a “progressing” country, no one should be left behind.
The fight of the environmental defenders here in the country is far from over. With the administration being silent on matters concerning the environment, it just gives more power and authority to powerful corporations to capitalize on our lands and natural resources.
Bongbong’s failure to address this issue shows whose side he is on. All for the glory of his cronies and never for the Filipino people – like father, like son. A deja vu moment from the dark regime of the late dictator Marcos Sr.
Now that we are under a Marcos-Duterte administration, attacks against activists and progressive groups are expected to worsen. In this insight, the best thing to do is to stay vigilant and not let the state forces take over the whole narrative.
Amplify the calls for the protection of natural resources, hold the administration accountable for all its incompetencies, and defend the defenders!
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