At least five fabricated cases against environment and rights defenders filed by the armed forces of the reactionary state and NTF-Elcac were recently dismissed. One of these was the oral defamation case filed by the 70th IB against young environmental activists Jonila Castro and Jhed Tamano. Various cases filed against Bohol United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Rev. Nathaniel “Dodo” Vallente, Rizal union organizer Eugene Eugenio, and two Cebu activists were also dismissed.

The Bulacan court dismissed the case against the two young activists on June 5. The 70th IB’s Lt. Col. Ronnel dela Cruz filed the vindictive charges against the two activists, who the military abducted, tortured, and illegally detained for 17 days. The military attempted to present them as surrendered rebels in a press conference, but the two bravely exposed the truth in front of the media. Judge Sheila Orquillas’ dismissal of the case is a legal recognition that the accusations are baseless and that the statements of Jhed and Jonila are a truthful form of resistance and self-defense.

Karapatan hailed this dismissal as part of the victory against the broader pattern of harassment and repression by state forces and NTF-Elcac against activists, human rights workers, and government critics.

The group also celebrated the dismissal of fabricated cases against UCCP Rev. Vallente, a defender of peasant rights, and government employee-unionist Eugenio. Two political prisoners, Lopito Jabagat and Eduardo Cullamat, who had been detained in Cebu for eight years, were acquitted on June 3 of charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, and obstruction of justice.

Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay emphasized the importance of these victories in fighting the systematic use of the courts to instill fear and suppress dissent. Palabay said activists, human rights workers, and political dissenters are unjustly imprisoned or constantly endangered through accusations and the filing of fabricated cases.

“It is a systematic scheme by the NTF-ELCAC and State security forces to derail the work of these individuals and groups and to instill the climate of fear and impunity among the people, by weaponizing the laws and using the courts to quell dissent,” she said.

Meanwhile, Kalikasan highlighted the symbolic date of the dismissal of the case against Jhed and Jonila, which coincided with World Environment Day. The group called the victory “a clear rejection of attempts to silence environmental defenders who resist destructive projects that threaten communities and ecosystems.” Jonila and Jhed, when abducted by the military in Bataan, were investigating the impact of reclamation and other destructive projects in Manila Bay.

“This court victory exposes the case for what it truly was: a desperate maneuver to cover up state-perpetrated abduction and to intimidate those who resist,” according to Kalikasan. The group asserted not only the dismissal of the fabricated case, but also the need to hold accountable those responsible for the abduction, illegal detention, and harassment of the two activists. It called for the abolition of the repressive NTF-Elcac and an end to militarization and projects that destroy the environment.

“Jhed and Jonila, as well as Reverend Dodo as well as Eugene have been vindicated. We will continue to fight for the rights of those who have been unjustly arrested and detained on trumped-up charges within and outside the courtroom,” according to Karapatan.