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Parliamentary sponsorship for Philippine human rights defender Jazmin “Minet” Jerusalem
Originally published on Gökay Akbulut - Mitglied des deutschen Bundestags As part of the German Bundestag programme “Parliamentarians Protect Parliamentarians”, I have applied to sponsor Philippine human rights defender Jazmin “Minet” Jerusalem. Jazmin Jerusalem is the Executive Director of the Leyte Center for Development and Empowerment. For decades, the organisation has supported poor, marginalised and disaster-affected communities on the islands of Leyte and Samar. It pro

Defend NGOs Alliance
5 days ago
Free Porquia and Guillen, Defend Development Work
This is how community work is punished in the Philippines today. Two women in their 60s were arrested in Pavia, Iloilo on 02 April, in the middle of Holy Week, when courts slow down, when offices close early, when most people are told to pause and reflect. That pause did not apply to Josephine Parra Porquia (64 years old) and Ma. Luisa Tagamolila Guillen (62 years old). They were taken on the basis of accusations that follow a familiar pattern: tag someone as a rebel, build a

Defend NGOs Alliance
Apr 8
A Life for the People, A Quest for Justice: Honoring Teresa Claire “Teray” Alicaba
The passing of Teresa Claire “Teray” Alicaba in March 2026 is a profound loss for the Philippine development community and a stark indictment of the ongoing judicial harassment against human rights defenders (HRDs). As a dedicated officer of the Community Empowerment Resource Network (CERNET), Teray’s life and work represented a commitment to structural change and the empowerment of marginalized sectors across the Visayas. On behalf of the Council for People’s Development and

Defend NGOs Alliance
Mar 27
Kami ang Nagbabantay, Bakit Kami Sinasalakay?
Mariing kinokondena ng Defend NGOs Alliance ang ginagawa ng administrasyong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na kriminalisahin ang mga nagdaang kilos-protesta laban sa korapsyon at sa panawagan ng pananagutan ng mga mamamayan sa mga sangkot sa korapsyon. Habang ang mga personalidad na sangkot sa isyu ng korapsyon sa flood control ay patuloy na nakaiiwas sa hustisya, inaatake naman ng pulisya ang mga nagbabantay kontra korapsyon – mga kabataan, magsasaka, mangingisda, manggagawa at iba pa

Defend NGOs Alliance
Oct 30, 2025
Solidarity Message of Ms. Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights for Bugkos 2025
Hello, everyone, and thank you for inviting me to speak at this event to mark World Humanitarian Day. Around the globe, humanitarian...

Defend NGOs Alliance
Sep 3, 2025
Solidarity message of Ms. Signe Poulsen, Senior Human Rights Adviser of UN OHCHR for Bugkos 2025
Dear Friends in the humanitarian community, Let me first thank the organizers, the Defend NGOs Alliance National and Visayas, together...

Defend NGOs Alliance
Sep 3, 2025
Defend NGOs Alliance hails judicial victories for HRDs
The Defend NGOs alliance welcomes recent judicial victories that saw the acquittal of human rights defenders (HRD) Rev. Nathaniel...

Defend NGOs Alliance
Jun 9, 2025
Letter to the Editor: The Philippine Star (PhilStar)
Letter to the Editor The Philippine Star (PhilStar) This is in reference to your news article “NPA finance officer nabbed in Bohol” by...

Defend NGOs Alliance
Jun 5, 2025
Defend NGOs welcomes dismissal of PDG case; renews call to end attacks on NGOs
STATEMENT May 6, 2025 The Defend NGOs Alliance lauds the decision of the Iloilo Regional Trial Court Branch 31 in April 22, 2025 denying...

Defend NGOs Alliance
May 6, 2025
Feb 5, 2025- Side event on Role of OGP in HRD Protection
The Defend NGOs Alliance and the Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG) cordially invite you to our side event themed ...

Defend NGOs Alliance
Jan 27, 2025
Sign-on Statement to Call for the Immediate Release and Drop the Trumped up Charges Against Five Development Workers in Negros Occidental, Philippines
We, the undersigned, urgently call for public support for the immediate release of two development workers and the cancellation of...

Defend NGOs Alliance
Jan 5, 2025
Marcos Jr admin sacrificing NGOs to exit FATF “grey list”
The Defend NGOs Alliance denounced increasing judicial attacks on NGOs and people’s organizations (POs) under the Marcos Jr...

Defend NGOs Alliance
Dec 4, 2024
Shrinking Civic Spaces on the 4th year of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA)
On July 2, 2024, civil society organizations raised the alarm on increasing attacks on non-governmental organizations and people's...

Defend NGOs Alliance
Jul 8, 2024
Anti-Terror Law @ 4: A Press Conference by the Defend NGOs Alliance
𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗡𝗚𝗢𝘀 𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗝𝗨𝗟𝗬 𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 Photo by Charles Perez/ Pinoy Weekly...

Defend NGOs Alliance
Jul 2, 2024
Civil society alarmed by growing attacks on development NGOs— Council for People's Development and Governance (CPDG)
Press Conference during Pag-Alabin: People Development, A Forum-Exhibit on CSOs Good Practices in Development held from May 21 and 23 at...

Defend NGOs Alliance
May 27, 2024
Previous Articles


Parliamentary sponsorship for Philippine human rights defender Jazmin “Minet” Jerusalem
Originally published on Gökay Akbulut - Mitglied des deutschen Bundestags As part of the German Bundestag programme “Parliamentarians Protect Parliamentarians”, I have applied to sponsor Philippine human rights defender Jazmin “Minet” Jerusalem. Jazmin Jerusalem is the Executive Director of the Leyte Center for Development and Empowerment. For decades, the organisation has supported poor, marginalised and disaster-affected communities on the islands of Leyte and Samar. It pro


Six Years of Resistance: Truth Prevails Over Criminalization of Development Work
03 July 2026—Today is the 6th year implementation of the Duterte regime’s Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). This marks six years of systematic weaponization of the law—facilitating the criminalization of human rights and development work. Alongside the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act (TFPSA), the ATA has been used to freeze assets (intended for community-oriented needs/services), block humanitarian missions, and place grassroots organizers and ordinary citizens und


Defending the Environment is Not a Crime
A Statement of Support to the Anti-Mining Community in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya The Council for People's Development and Governance (CPDG) and Defend NGOs Alliance welcome the dismissal of the forcible entry case filed against Bishop Elmer Mangalinao, Fr. Christian Dumangeng, and several members of the community of Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, on 24 June 2026. Furthermore, CPDG and Defend NGOs support the barricades and people's collective action against the mining exploration of Nort


Drop All Trumped Up Charges Against LCDe. Continue the Assertion for Civic Space.
In light of recent legal victories, such as the dismissal of all counts of terrorism financing charges against the Leyte Center for Development, Inc. (LCDe) and other similar legal developments, the Defend NGOs Alliance maintains that the assertion for civic space must continue. On 19 June 2026, Ms. Jazmin “Minet” Jerusalem is set to attend the rescheduled pre-trial hearing on LCDe’s civil forfeiture case. She and other LCDe staff continue to endure asset freezing by the Ant


Defend NGOs Alliance supports CERNET's perjury lawsuit against Brigadier General Joey Escanillas and Bernabe Nieves
On this day, May 26, 2026, CERNET’s preliminary investigation of a filed case of perjury against Brigadier General Joey Escanillas and Bernabe Nieves is set to take place. This came after CERNET was repeatedly red-tagged and falsely charged with financing terrorists. The Defend NGOs Alliance strongly supports CERNET’s lawsuit as an important step towards reclaiming justice from the vilification of state forces. #PushBackAgainstStateRepression #AssertCivicSpaces
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