A court in Alfonso Lista, Ifugao dismissed the case of attempted murder filed by the state against Cordillera Peoples Democratic Front (CPDF) spokesperson and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Simon Naogsan (Ka Filiw), the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) reported on March 7. Naogsan was arrested on October 21, 2024 in Barangay 1, Santa Rita in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte and is facing multiple cases.

The court issued the decision on February 11 following the government lawyer’s admission that evidence against Naogsan was insufficient. The prosecutor said “proceeding with the trial of the case would violate the rights of the accused and abuse the court’s resources.”

In relation to this, the CHRA called for the dismissal of fabricated cases against Naogsan in other courts. They said that government lawyers should conduct a similar review of these cases to ensure that “weak and baseless cases are not being used to prolong (Naogsan’s) unjust detention.”

“Naogsan is not a criminal – he is a revolutionary leader of the indigenous peoples in the Cordilleras, committed to organizing and mobilizing for social change,” the CHRA stated. The group added that his arrest and continued detention is a violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) because he serves as a consultant to the peace negotiations between the NDFP and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. This should have provided Naogsan immunity against arrest and other acts of harassment.

This also violates international humanitarian law especially since Naogsan is elderly and is already enduring numerous illnesses and diseases. He has diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. Naogsan was recovering from hospital treatment when state forces arrested him.

Meanwhile, the CHRA attended Naogsan’s arraignment and pre-trial for cases of murder, attempted murder, and illegal slight detention in a court in Bontoc, Mountain province on March 4. Naogsan is still facing many similar cases in other courts in the region due to alleged involvement in armed actions of the New People’s Army.

“We join his family in demanding his immediate release and call on the Philippine Government to uphold his rights as a political prisoner,” the CHRA stated. The group also called on the Philippine government to recognize his rights as a political prisoner.