PH most dangerous in Asia for farmers, IPs in land disputes – watchdog | Pinakabagong Balita sa Pilipinas

PH most dangerous in Asia for farmers, IPs in land disputes – watchdog — (INQUIRER file photo / WILLIE LOMIBAO) (INQUIRER file photo / WILLIE LOMIBAO) MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines is a dangerous place for environment...

(INQUIRER file photo / WILLIE LOMIBAO)

(INQUIRER file photo / WILLIE LOMIBAO)

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines is a dangerous place for environment activists, farmers andindigenous peoples (IPs)to fight for their lands, according to a report by a Malaysia-based international advocacy network.

Based on its monitoring, the Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific (Panap), made up of advocates for environmental justice and sustainable agriculture, found that the Philippines ranked worst in Asia as it was the “deadliest” country after six people were killed over land conflicts last year.

Globally, the Philippines was second to Mexico, where five individuals were killed.

Apart from the killings, the group recorded 10 arrests, detention and legal persecution last year in relation to land struggles and disputes.

There were also nine cases of threats and harassment as well as 11 cases of physical assault.

The Panap findings for 2024 were based on its report, “Land & Rights Watch,” which gathered reports of human rights abuses in communities grappling with land conflicts and threats of land grabbing.

It is set to be released this month.

“These alarming numbers cast doubt on the Philippine government’s claimed commitment to human rights and international humanitarian law,” Panap Deputy Executive Director Arnold Padilla said in a statement.

This comes as the Philippines hosts an international humanitarian law (IHL) conference for Asia Pacific this week where some 120 delegates from more than 30 countries gather to discuss challenges in the implementation of IHL and how humanitarian principles can be incorporated in policies and legislations.

“President Marcos Jr.’s administration aims to present the Philippines as a regional champion of human rights through hosting the IHL regional conference. However, the increasingly repressive political environment experienced by Filipino farmers, farm workers, indigenous peoples, and other rural sectors—and their advocates—paints a very different picture,” Padilla added.

Panap cited the case of Juan Sumilhig, an indigenous Maranao farmer, who was allegedly killed on Aug. 1 by members of the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Battalion in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

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Headquartered in Penang, Malaysia, Panap is composed of 109 organizations from Asia Pacific. It is also working with 400 other civil society and grassroots groups from across the globe. /gsg

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