Philippine Police Arrest 11 Indigenous Land Protesters
Police in Nueva Vizcaya broke up a peaceful indigenous barricade, arresting 11 protesters opposing a mining firm's exploration.
Philippine police arrested 11 Indigenous protesters on August 28 after dispersing a barricade in Kasibu town, Nueva Vizcaya province. Members of the Bugkalot/Ilangot and other tribes had maintained the peaceful blockade since May to oppose exploration by the North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation.
Videos and photos posted online show more than a dozen officers handcuffing residents, including older people. Police pinned one resident to the ground during the operation. A 63-year-old man fainted upon arrest and was taken to a hospital.
Prosecutors charged all 11 individuals with "grave coercion" and "resistance and disobedience to people in authority." According to Human Rights Watch, which reported the incident, these charges under the Philippines' revised penal code carry a potential prison sentence of one to six months. All arrested protesters were released on bail on September 1.
Conflicting Land Claims
The core of the dispute involves conflicting claims over the land. North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation holds an exploration permit granted on June 25, 2025. The company states it has a certification from the Philippine National Commission on Indigenous Peoples asserting its permit area does not overlap with customary indigenous land.
Community residents opposing the company present a different document. They say they possess a Certificate of Land Ownership Award confirming their land rights. Based on this claim, they have filed a petition with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources seeking cancellation of the company's exploration permit.
Legal Pressure on Activists and Lawyers
Beyond the physical barricade, legal battles are intensifying. The mining corporation has filed cyber-libel complaints against two community leaders and two of their lawyers. The report from Human Rights Watch contends that such charges against lawyers effectively undermine their right to freedom of expression and to fully represent their clients. This, the report notes, conflicts with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
A Pattern of Confrontation
The August 28 arrest was not an isolated event. Residents have repeatedly tried to block equipment and fuel from reaching the drilling site. On August 18, a truck carrying fuel for a local road project was stopped at the barricade. Police arrested three Indigenous protesters during that incident, who were also later released on bail.
Human Rights Watch calls on Philippine authorities to drop the criminal charges against the community members, arguing they were exercising rights to peaceful assembly and expression. The organization urges the government to seriously address the underlying land claim conflict instead of criminalizing protest. The standoff in Kasibu continues as legal processes unfold and the community's petition awaits review.
