Seven residents of Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya were arrested for opposing the entry of Woggle Corporation’s drilling equipment into their barangay on January 23. Assisted by Bureau of Fire Protection personnel, around 400 Nueva Vizcaya police tore down the residents’ barricade.

On January 19, the Nueva Vizcaya Regional Trial Court Branch 30 issued an order to demolish the barricade and arrest anyone who may block or resist the order’s implementation. On the demolition day itself, hundreds of residents—mostly elderly, women, and church members from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and the Episcopal Church in the Philippines (ECP)—blocked the road. Members of alternative media, church groups, and environmental organizations also went to the barricade for support.

On January 24, indigenous people and peasants protested at the Dupax del Norte Police Station through a kanyaw (ritual) and community dance to condemn the arrest of residents defending the barricade.

Those arrested included six indigenous women and Florentino Daynos, one of the leaders of Defend Dupax del Norte. Four of them were residents of Barangay Bitnong, and two were from Barangay Macabenga. One of those arrested owns the land targeted by the company for mining. Police dragged the women from the barricade to arrest them. Two women fainted as the police forcibly dismantled the barricade. The police arrested these women when they were brought to the hospital. After arresting the residents, the police violently pushed the barricaders away from the entrance to make way for Woggle’s heavy equipment—including a backhoe and a truck—to reach the target site.

Kalikasan members observed that the police lacked proper identification such as nameplates. Most of the arresting team were not wearing body cameras. Those who did turned off their body cameras whenever they clashed with residents.

On the same day, environmental and progressive groups led by Kalikasan protested at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Central Office in Quezon City to condemn the department’s approval of Woggle Corporation’s exploration despite the community’s clear opposition. Protesters asserted that setting up the barricade was just and that defending the community from the foreign mining company is not a crime. More than fifty riot police blocked the rally.

Various organizations expressed solidarity and condemned the barricade’s demolition. These included Caritas Philippines, Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, National Priest Organization–North Central Luzon of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Church), Save Cagayan Valley, Taripnong Cagayan Valley (Cagayan Valley Assembly), Alyansa Tigil Mina (Alliance to Stop Mining), Center for Environmental Concerns, Sinagbayan, Bayan, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines, AGHAM (Advocates for Science and Technology for the People), Karapatan, Hustisya, Kabataan Partylist, Gabriela Women’s Party, and Alliance of Human Rights Advocates.