Group: harassment of NGOs, social workers continues

CEBU, Philippines — Despite the Philippines’ removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, civil society organizations in Cebu assert that state-led repression of non-government organizations (NGOs) and development workers continues.

In a press conference held yesterday, Asser Development Initiatives (ADI) said that the government has not fulfilled its constitutional duty to protect civic space.

Speaking before the media, representatives from different progressive groups in Cebu shared that the government has intensified its crackdown on civil society through the continued implementation of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and Executive Order No. 70, which institutionalized the controversial National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

ADI, a Cebu-based network of nonprofit groups, has called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to repeal repressive policies and dismantle state bodies that suppress grassroots development efforts.

“What we are witnessing is not just the persecution of individuals, but the systematic dismantling of mechanisms that empower communities,” said ADI spokesman Armand Dayoha.

Cebu progressive organizations under ADI say they are frequently red-tagged, harassed, and subjected to military surveillance. For ADI, these accusations are part of a broader attempt to delegitimize development work and silence dissent.

Geovanni Gabuli, chairman of the environmental group Pundok Sagop Kalikopan, shared that their group benefited from livelihood projects supported by the Center for Empowerment and Resource Development (CERNET), such as communal gardens and fishponds. Yet they were accused by the military and navy of supporting communist rebels.

CERNET 27 refers to a group of 27 individuals which comprises current and former members, staff, who were charged by the Philippine Department of Justice in 2024 with alleged violations of the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10168).

The charges stem from accusations that in 2012 CERNET provided ?135,000 to the South Eastern Front of the New People's Army in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

“Buot huna-hunaon ang gihatag sa CERNET namo --kung unsaon pag buhi ug unsaon namo pagbarog sa among kaugalingon,” Gabuli said.

Urban poor groups also echoed similar experiences like Ursina Terragosa of the Tipolo Residents Association who said that CERNET helped establish a rice retailing project in their community, but the army harassed them to the point that the initiative almost collapsed.

“Nanawagan mi nga ang mga army unta papahawaon na sa among lugar,” Terragosa said.

Belinda Allere of the Cebu Urban Poor Women’s League under Gabriela said their members are frequently visited by uniformed personnel, with some being interrogated and warned against participating in mass actions.

Meanwhile, Dyan Gumanao of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT Partylist) said schools and universities have become targets of surveillance and vilification, threatening academic freedom and activism among students and teachers.

Bayan Muna regional coordinator John Ruiz III said that even during the recent elections, progressive candidates and organizations faced red-tagging both online and offline.

Moreover, Kabataan Partylist’s Paolo Echavez also denounced how youth representation has been hijacked by “fake partylists” that allegedly push militarist agendas while sidelining authentic youth voices.

Dayoha cited United Nations Special rapporteurs Ian Fry and Irene Khan who previously recommended the abolition of NTF-ELCAC, citing human rights concerns.

Jaime Paglinawan, chairman of the Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusan Mayo Uno, also denounced what it called a “government crackdown” on NGOs, citing trumped-up charges and baseless accusations linking them to insurgent groups.

“We call for the immediate repeal of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, Executive Order 70, and the dismantling of NTF-ELCAC and its rebranded version under the National Action Plan for Unity, Peace, and Development. These policies serve only to suppress legitimate dissent and undermine democratic participation,” Paglinawan said. — (FREEMAN)