Rights crisis deepens in Luzon amid militarization, impunity

BAGUIO CITY — A convergence of human rights, economic, and climate-related crises is displacing communities across Luzon, where militarization, land disputes, and climate disasters intersect, further marginalizing vulnerable sectors, Amnesty International (AI) Philippines reported.

The assessment formed part of AI Philippines’ Luzon launch of its Philippine entry to the State of the World’s Human Rights Report 2025/26.

“What we are seeing in Luzon is a convergence of violations—from aerial bombardments of indigenous communities to enforced disappearances and attacks on labor and press freedom,” said Amnesty International Philippines senior director Ritz Lee Santos III.

READ: Amnesty International-PH names new director

Santos cited cases of intensified militarization, including aerial bombardments in indigenous communities in Occidental Mindoro that resulted in civilian deaths and displacement, as well as similar counter-insurgency operations in Kalinga where independent monitoring remains limited.

At the regional level, lawyer Lyndon Morales of the Commission on Human Rights-Cordillera Administrative Region acknowledged the limitations it faces in pursuing accountability, particularly in cases involving military operations and armed encounters. He said case build-up remains difficult due to restricted access to information from the military and the absence of access to armed rebel groups.

Morales also cited challenges in investigating enforced disappearance cases, including difficulties in entering military camps and verifying claims, which complicate efforts to establish accountability.

Pattern of cases

Providing a regional update, AJ Astaquinta of the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance outlined ongoing legal cases against leaders of people’s organizations, including terrorism designation and financing charges filed against members of the Cordillera People’s Alliance. He said the cases have yet to be resolved, with petitions challenging their designation still pending in court.

According to Astaquinta, even prior to formal charges, those accused reportedly faced restrictions on movement for fear of safety. He added that freezing the personal and organizational bank accounts of CPA leaders not only cut off their livelihoods but also disrupted the essential services they provide to communities.

He pointed out that Sara Abeleon-Alikes is currently facing a terrorism designation and financing cases. Another case involves Marcylyn Pilala, a small store owner in Mountain Province accused of providing material support to armed groups. He the said terrorism financing case, filed against Pilala in 2024, has yet to receive a response from the Department of Justice on whether it will be forwarded to designated courts.

Astaquinta noted that these cases reflect a broader pattern in which community organizers, activists, and even ordinary citizens are subjected to legal attacks based largely on testimonies from alleged former rebels or military informants.

Astaquinta said CHRA monitored at least 46 political detainees across Northern Luzon, including 24 in the Cordillera, two in Ilocos, and 20 in Cagayan Valley. The group believes more cases remain undocumented.

READ: House solons file EJK, rights defender bills on Human Rights Day

Desaparecidos

Gabrielle Chuwaley Capuyan, daughter of desaparecido Dexter Capuyan, shared updates on their case, which involves the abduction of her father and indigenous peoples advocate Bazoo de Jesus on April 28, 2023.

She said the court granted a writ of amparo in 2025, recognizing them as victims of enforced disappearance and citing serious shortcomings in the police investigation, including the alleged concealment of key witness testimony.

According to the testimony of a tricycle driver, armed men intercepted the victims and forced them into a vehicle, claiming to be personnel of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Despite the court’s recognition of violations, accountability remains unresolved.

Chuwaley said families continue to search foe their loved ones while pursuing legal remedies and public campaigns to surface the disappeared.

Recent activities included protests marking the anniversary of the abduction and calls to end enforced disappearances.

The case of her father and that of de Jesus are included in the 17 cases of enforced disappearance under the current administration.

Chuwaley noted that despite the existence of a law criminalizing enforced disappearance, cases continue, with no perpetrator brought to the bar of justice.

Shrinking civic space

Amnesty International Philippines linked developments in Luzon to a broader pattern of shrinking civic space, marked by the continued use of anti-terror laws, red-tagging, and counter-insurgency programs targeting activists, journalists, and community leaders.

The group noted that these measures contribute to a climate of fear and restrict civic participation, particularly in communities already affected by militarization and armed conflict.

Both Amnesty International Philippines and the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance renewed calls for the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which they said has institutionalized repression at the grassroots level.

Astaquinta stressed that public funds allocated to the task force should instead be redirected toward social services and economic relief, especially as communities face worsening economic conditions and displacement. He said the freezing of personal and organizational bank accounts of community leaders not only cuts off their livelihoods but also disrupts the services they provide to communities.

Santos echoed the call, noting that concerns over the task force have also been raised at the international level. He said the recommendation to abolish the NTF-ELCAC was affirmed by UN Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion Irene Khan during her 2024 visit to the Philippines. Khan flagged the impact of red-tagging and counter-insurgency measures on freedom of expression and association.

“We are confronting not just multiple crises, but a system that continues to fail those it is meant to protect,” Santos said. INQ