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

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

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

The Defend NGOs Alliance welcomes the decision of the RTC Branch 74 in Cebu to dismiss the case filed against the Community Empowerment Resource Network, Inc. (CERNET) under the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 or Republic Act (RA) No. 10168. The court decision granted CERNET’s Joint Motion to Dismiss on 31 March 2026 and was released on 18 May 2026, wherein the alleged charged acts “do not constitute a crime under the law in force at the time of the