Authorities arrested three development workers in Negros Occidental on January 2, 2025, over allegations of terrorism financing charges.
Apprehended workers were Federico Salvilla, Perla Pavillar, and Dharyll Albanez after charging them with violations of Section 8 of Republic Act No. 10168, which prohibits financial support to terrorist organizations.
Accused legal counsel Rey Gorgonio told Brigada News FM Philippines on Friday, January 3, that they are processing the bail for the arrested individuals.
Salvilla and Albanez each face two counts of the alleged offense, while Jaleco faces three counts. Gorgonio said that the recommended bail for each charge is P200,000.
Although the DOJ filed the resolution charging the accused with terrorism financing on December 3, 2024, they have yet to receive the official copy of the resolution, he said.
Gorgonio added that his clients plan to file a motion for reconsideration as soon as they receive the DOJ resolution charging them with terrorism financing.
“For me, [the cases] will not hold water because they are merely fabricated based on perjured testimony from an alleged rebel returnee,” he said.
Trumped-up charges
Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN) issued a press statement labeling the charges as “trumped-up” and accused authorities of using coerced testimonies to criminalize legitimate advocacy.
HRAN reported that the police detained Salvilla, a former PDG advocacy staff member, in Pulupandan town around 7 p.m. and later arrested Pavillar, a member of PDG’s operations team, in Cauayan an hour later.
Albanez, a representative of the Kristyanong Mangunguma Lubos Itib-ong ang Grupo (KAMALIG), voluntarily surrendered to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO), HRAN said.
The group also noted that in addition to the arrested individuals, Clarissa Ramos, the former executive director of Paghidaet sa Kauswagan Development Group (PDG) and widow of slain human rights lawyer Benjamin Ramos, and Felipe Levy Gelle, Jr. were charged.
Authorities allege that the group has ties to the New People’s Army (NPA), a claim that all accused individuals have strongly denied.
The PDG, based in Kabankalan City, reiterated that its work focuses on community development, agrarian reform, and supporting marginalized sectors in southern Negros Occidental.
Meanwhile, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Negros condemned the arrests, describing them as part of an intensified crackdown on progressive development workers and activists advocating for marginalized communities.
In November, a regional court in Kabankalan acquitted the so-called Himamaylan 7, a group of individuals who spent five years in prison—years that saw their lives wasted and their dreams shattered due to baseless accusations.
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.