3 community workers arrested in Negros Occidental over terrorism financing allegations

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – Authorities arrested three community workers in Negros Occidental on Thursday, January 2, on charges of terrorism financing, sparking outrage from human rights groups that labeled the accusations as “trumped-up.”

The arrested individuals – identified as Federico Salvilla, Perla Pavillar, and Dharyll Albanez – are working for organizations advocating for land reform and supporting farming communities. They face charges filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.

The DOJ lodged the complaints in Iloilo City on December 3, 2024, and arrest warrants were issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 31. Salvilla and Albanez each face two counts, while Pavillar faces three counts of terrorism financing.

The recommended bail is set at P200,000 per count, according to their legal counsel, Rey Gorgonio, who confirmed that Salvilla managed to post bail on Friday, January 3. 

Pavillar and Albanez remain in custody and are expected to be transferred to Iloilo City for detention and court proceedings.

Authorities accused the three of providing financial support to the New People’s Army (NPA), a claim they have strongly denied. 

Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN) called the charges baseless, saying they were “fabricated” and built on coerced testimony from a supposed rebel returnee.

“These are attempts to criminalize legitimate advocacy work,” HRAN said in a statement.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Negros (Bayan) echoed HRAN’s sentiments, describing the arrests as part of a broader government campaign against activists under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

The Paghidaet sa Kauswagan Development Group (PDG), where Salvilla and Pavillar were members, is known for its work in agrarian reform and community development in southern Negros Occidental. The group’s founder, human rights lawyer Benjamin Ramos, was shot dead in 2018 – a case that remains unsolved.

Gorgonio said the accused intend to file a motion for reconsideration once they receive a copy of the DOJ resolution. He expressed confidence that the charges would not hold in court.

“These cases are unfounded and based on perjured testimony,” he said.

The arrests came just weeks after the acquittal of the so-called “Himamaylan 7,” who spent five years in prison over similarly alleged NPA ties. Human rights groups have cited these cases as part of a pattern of what they call the weaponization of the law to silence dissent.

For now, Pavillar and Albanez await their transfer and the next step in their legal fight, as civil society groups rally behind them, decrying what they view as an intensifying crackdown on activists.

Colonel Rainerio de Chavez, director of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO), said that since warrants of arrest had been issued against the accused, “We have no choice but to arrest them.”

He added, “We’re just performing our duties: serve the warrants and arrest the suspects.” – Rappler.com