Defend NGOs Alliance - Visayas

05/06/2026

As governments continue to implement security, peace, and order programs in response to conflict, how can civil society effectively monitor, document, and challenge policies that undermine people's rights and well-being?

Join us for a learning session on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Mechanisms, designed for CSOs working directly with grassroots communities.

This session aims to (1) deepen understanding of International Humanitarian Law and its relevance in situations of conflict and militarization, (2) examine how security and peace programs may impact human rights and community welfare, (3) explore mechanisms for holding governments and private actors accountable for human rights violations, (4) learn how international human rights instruments and mechanisms can be utilized to advance advocacy, legal action, and policy reform, and (5) strengthen the capacity of CSOs to defend and promote human rights in their respective communities.

This activity is organized in collaboration with the Defend NGOs Alliance Visayas, the All UP Academic Employees Union- UP Cebu Chapter, and the Council for People's Development and Governance.

We encourage civil society organizations, people's organizations, community leaders, human rights advocates, and development workers engaged with grassroots communities to participate.

Together, let us strengthen our collective capacity to uphold human dignity, protect people's rights, and advance accountability in governance.

22/05/2026

𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗞 𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗥 𝗟𝗔𝗪𝗦!
𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗖 𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗘𝗦!
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DNA Visayas warmly welcomes the dismissal of the terrorist financing case against the Community Empowerment Resource Network, Inc., or the CERNET 27 case, a long-overdue victory for development work, human rights, civil society, and most importantly, the marginalized communities that have been at the frontline of attacks on civic space and humanitarian work.

The case, filed under the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012, was dismissed on the ground that the acts charged “do not constitute a crime under the law in force at the time of their commission.” The court saw this merit and decided to grant the motion to dismiss filed by the legal counsels of CERNET. It goes to show how terror laws such as the TFPSA have been constantly weaponized to criminalize legitimate service and community organizing.

For years, CERNET endured red-tagging, fabricated accusations, and legal persecution. Yet beyond this suffering inflicted upon the network, it was the people in the communities partnered with CERNET and its member organizations that suffered the most. Unfinished programs for farmers, fisherfolk, women, and urban poor communities happened under the cloud of fear mongered by the state’s accusations. The time and resources that could and should have gone toward the development of these communities, which the state has neglected, were diverted toward survival and legal defense.

This is why the dismissal of such a case is not merely a legal victory for the 27 individuals or one network of NGOs– it is a collective victory for the broader civil society community across the Visayas and the Philippines, and especially for the grassroots communities who stood firmly beside CERNET throughout years of attacks and intimidation. This victory belongs to the people who refused to be silenced, who continued to defend their right to organize, to receive support, and to struggle for better living conditions despite persistent threats and red-tagging.

The case itself and its eventual dismissal laid bare the consequences of the counterinsurgency framework put forward by the state and the role played by its agencies such as the NTF-ELCAC in using the law in criminalizing development work and painting it as terrorism. The inclusion of deceased individuals among the accused demonstrated the recklessness and absurdity of the charges filed. At the same time, the promotion of officials involved in pursuing the case reflects how persecution of civil society has become embedded within the machinery of the State.

The dismissal affirms one, clear fundamental truth: development work is not, and will never be, terrorism. In fact, amid the worsening poverty and economic crisis, the state has done nothing but continue a circus in all branches of the government, more focused on protecting international criminals and postponing impeachment trials rather than placing their people at the forefront, which is why the work of CSOs has become more necessary and urgent.

Although this victory has served as a huge collective win, we emphasize that we are far from over with the struggle. The dismissal of the case does not erase the years of harassment, fear, reputational damage, and disruption inflicted upon CERNET and the communities it served. Accountability must still be pursued against those who orchestrated, enabled, and perpetuated these baseless accusations and abuses of legal processes. Moreover, the repressive policies and proposals under the guise of counterterrorism continue to loom over the country, and so continue to endanger activists, development workers, journalists, and ordinary citizens exercising their democratic rights. The CERNET 27 case stands as a warning of how vague and overbroad laws can be exploited to suppress dissent and cripple organizations serving the people.

𝗔𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲. 𝗪𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲– 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲. #

05/05/2026

Statement in Support of the CERNET 27 Trial Hearing on May 8, 2026

The crackdown on development work is not incidental—it is a calculated assault on the people’s welfare and democratic rights. Under the cover of so-called counterterrorism, the state has weaponized terror laws to shrink civic spaces, criminalize genuine service, and vilify organizations that stand with the most neglected sectors. Cases filed against organizations like CERNET expose a regime more invested in silencing dissent than in addressing the grinding poverty and inequality its own failures have produced.

A closer examination of CERNET’s case recalls that in August 2023, the organization received a subpoena over an alleged violation of RA 10168, or the “Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.” Years later, CERNET is still forced to battle in the courts to fend off the claws of terror laws that continue to choke its capacity to operate instead of serving grassroots communities.

In this context, of the 27 respondents named in the initial filing, three individuals had already passed away, and three more have died this year. It is enraging that death has come faster for these innocent individuals than the justice they rightfully deserve. It is equally unsettling how this reflects the state’s priorities—serving foreign interests and weaponizing the law to mask its own incompetence, while laying bare its fascist schemes.

What the state calls “compliance” is nothing but coercion. It demands that organizations dilute their mandate, abandon communities, and submit to surveillance—or face harassment, frozen accounts, and fabricated charges. The cost of this forced compliance is borne by the people: programs halted, services cut, and communities left defenseless. This is not governance; it is the pinnacle of repression in fueling a counterinsurgency agenda that treats empowered communities as enemies and genuine NGOs as a threat.

We denounce this criminalization. Development work is not terrorism—it is resistance against neglect, exploitation, and systemic injustice. To attack development workers is to attack the very communities they serve. We will not be silenced, intimidated, or driven out of the spaces we have fought to build.
End the criminalization of development work! Defend the defenders! And if justice is to mean anything, it must be the corrupt, the plunderers, and the architects of repression who are held to account—not those who serve the people. #

05/05/2026

TIMELINE | Updates on the trumped-up charges against CERNET 27

Prior to the alleged violation of RA 10168 or the “Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suspension Act of 2012,” CERNET has already received attacks from the state against our organization and staff who remain loyal to the noble and people-centered cause. The impact on development work has been severe. Organizations like CERNET and its member groups have long provided essential services to marginalized communities, including farmers, fisherfolk, women, and rural poor sectors.

However, the filing of terrorism financing charges has disrupted operations, diverted limited resources toward legal defense, and created a chilling effect among staff, volunteers, and partner communities. Here are the developments related to the said case:

August 19, 2023
CERNET received a subpoena from the Department of Justice. Legal defense was immediately organized.

September 28, 2023
During the preliminary hearing, military and police forces were deployed in full battle gear, creating an atmosphere more akin to a security operation than a legal proceeding.

April 30, 2024
A press conference publicly red-tagged CERNET and its leaders, linking them to terrorism without due process.

May 13, 2024
The DOJ indicted all 27 respondents and recommended “no bail,” despite the charge being legally bailable.

May 16, 2024
All accused were able to post bail. No one was arrested or detained.

May 18, 2024
Police social media posts falsely labeled individuals as “most wanted terrorists,” amplifying misinformation.

May - June 2024
Complaints were filed before the Commission on Human Rights, NAPOLCOM, and media bodies. There was no immediate accountability.

June - September 2024
International attention increased, with UN rapporteurs, foreign embassies, and human rights bodies monitoring the case.

September 19, 2024
During arraignment, all accused entered not guilty pleas. Notably, the earlier heavy security presence was no longer observed.

Late 2024
The case gained global visibility through forums, diplomatic engagements, and human rights advocacy.

February 4, 2025
At the first trial, the prosecution presented evidence that, according to the defense, affirmed CERNET’s legitimacy rather than proving wrongdoing.

May 2025
A key witness failed to present documentary evidence to support allegations of financial crimes. Proceedings stalled.

July 2025
Counter-charges were filed against prosecutors for alleged grave abuse of authority.

January 20, 2026
The hearing scheduled for this date was cancelled.

March 4, 2026
CERNET received a joint counter-affidavit filed by the prosecution on February 19, 2026.

March 16 & 23, 2026
We filed reply affidavits to their joint counter-affidavit, concluding that the prosecution led by Pros. Peter Ong may be held administratively liable for Gross Neglect of Duty, Grave Abuse of Authority, Violation of Sec. 4(c) of Republic Act No. 6713, Violation of Sec. 3(a) of Republic Act No. 3019, and Violation of Sec. 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019.

March 31, 2026
The legal counsel for CERNET 27 filed a Joint Motion to Dismiss on the ground that the acts charged do not constitute a crime under the law in force at the time of their commission.

April 22, 2026
CERNET filed a criminal complaint for perjury and damages against BGEN Escanillas and Nieves.

April 30, 2026
The legal counsel filed a Joint Manifestation that the May 08 trial setting be maintained and with the request that the prosecution should identify its next witness without prejudice to the motion to dismiss. The court granted this, with the Pairing Judge Inopiquez to hear the case.

May 8, 2026
The next session shall be on this date.

This timeline points to broader concerns: the use of red-tagging, the application of anti-terror laws, and the condition of civic space in the Philippines. We call on the people to stand with and for CERNET– for genuine and timely development work and service to the people.

16/04/2026

𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗟𝗖𝗗𝗲! 𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗣 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗗 𝗨𝗣 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗦!
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The Defend NGOs Alliance - Visayas stands with the Leyte Center for Development and Ms. Minet Jerusalem in their civil forfeiture pre-trial today, April 16, at the RTC Branch 28, Manila.

Despite the court’s earlier ruling lifting the asset freeze due to lack of evidence, the AMLC continues to withhold LCDe’s funds, prolonging harassment against a legitimate development organization and disrupting services for marginalized communities. This case is part of a broader pattern of attacks against NGOs and development workers, where humanitarian work is unjustly criminalized through baseless accusations and legal pressure.

DNA Visayas calls for the immediate release of LCDe’s funds, the dismissal of all cases, and an end to the persecution of development workers.
(16 April 2026)

15/04/2026

28/03/2026

The Defend NGOs Alliance mourns the passing of Ms. Teresa Claire "Teray" Alicaba who dedicated her life in empowering the marginalized sectors of the Visayas region.

As one of the "CERNET 27," Teray endured battles not just in health but also from fabricated legal onslaught in her later years. We honor her legacy while demanding an end to the systematic persecution that overshadowed her final years.

The passing of Teresa Claire “Teray” Alicaba in March 2026 is a profound loss for the Philippine development community and a stark indictment of the ongoing judicial harassment against human rights defenders (HRDs). As a dedicated officer of the Community Empowerment Resource Network (CERNET), T...

27/03/2026

A Life for the People, A Quest for Justice: Honoring Teresa Claire “Teray” Alicaba

The passing of Teresa Claire “Teray” Alicaba in March 2026 is a profound loss for the Philippine development community and a stark indictment of the ongoing judicial harassment against human rights defenders (HRDs). As a dedicated officer of the Community Empowerment Resource Network (CERNET), Teray’s life and work represented a commitment to structural change and the empowerment of marginalized sectors across the Visayas. On behalf of the Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG) and the Defend NGOs Alliance, we honor her legacy while demanding an end to the systemic persecution that overshadowed her final years.

For nearly a decade, from 2006 to 2015, Teray served as CERNET’s Small Projects Funds Officer, a role that demanded both technical rigor and deep social empathy. Her work was not merely administrative; it was a structural intervention designed to bridge the gap between resource-deprived people’s organizations (POs) and the support they needed to achieve self-reliance. By reviewing and vetting project proposals from farmers, fisherfolk, urban poor families, and women in distress, Teray ensured that development aid reached the front lines of the struggle for social justice. Her colleagues remember her as a professional who did not just process paperwork but actively listened to the narratives of injustice and discrimination that shaped the lives of those she served.

Teray’s later years were marked by a courageous battle against both physical illness and a fabricated legal onslaught. Named as one of the “CERNET 27,” she was caught in the crosshairs of the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 (RA 10168), a policy framework that has been increasingly weaponized to shrink civic space and criminalize legitimate NGO operations. This case, which alleged a ₱135,000 contribution to the New People's Army from over a decade ago, is widely viewed by domestic and international observers as a tool for “red-tagging” and repression to paralyze NGOs and discourage communities in asserting their rights.

Despite being diagnosed with kidney failure and requiring dialysis three times a week, Teray remained a resolute figure within the CERNET 27. Her struggle highlights the “trial by exhaustion” often imposed on defenders: the dual burden of maintaining health while defending dignity against the state’s punitive machinery.

Teray is the second member of the CERNET 27 to pass away in early 2026, following the death of Cristina Muñoz in January. Her passing before the resolution of this case is a tragedy of justice delayed. The Defend NGOs Alliance and CPDG maintain that the most fitting tribute to Teray is not through celebratory rhetoric, but through the immediate dismissal of the CERNET 27 case and a cessation of the policy of red-tagging that targets HRDs, development workers, and humanitarian workers alike.

Teray’s life was defined by her conviction that the poor deserve a voice and the resources to demand their rights. We carry her resolve forward in the continuing struggle for a truly democratic and rights-based development framework in the Philippines. #

27/03/2026

Another One of the CERNET 27 Falls While Waiting for Justice

Teresa Claire Alicaba, fondly called Teray, was one of the accused in the fabricated terrorist financing case against the CERNET 27. She served as Small Projects Funds Officer of the Community Empowerment Resource Network, Inc. (CERNET) and worked with the organization from 2006 to 2015.

As a development worker, Teray reviewed small project proposals submitted by people’s organizations across the Visayas seeking support from CERNET. Her work often brought her to communities, where she listened to the stories and struggles of farmers, fisherfolk, urban poor families, low paid workers, women, and children in distress. Through these encounters, she developed a deep commitment to the sectors CERNET served. She gave her talent and energy to development work with conviction and purpose. She was passionate, outspoken, and unafraid to speak against the social injustices endured by the poor.

Life in development work at CERNET, as with many similarly minded civil society organizations, was never easy. Because CERNET remained firm in its commitment to the poor, it endured vilification, harassment, red tagging, and even attacks. By the time Teray and the other members of the CERNET 27 learned of the fabricated case in 2023, she was already suffering from kidney failure and undergoing dialysis three times a week. Even then, she remained among the most resolute in standing up and defending herself alongside her co accused.

Of the 27 accused in the CERNET 27 case, three had already passed away before the case was filed in 2023. Cristina Muñoz died in January 2026. This March, Teresa Claire Alicaba also passed on. She was not spared the burden of this charge, nor granted the chance to see it brought to its just end.

CERNET Inc. mourns and extends our deepest condolences on the passing of Teray. Likewise, we will stand together more firmly and steadfastly to make sure we get the justice she deserves.

The wake is being held at San Vicente St., Brgy. Poblacion 1, Carcar, Cebu, with interment on March 29, 2026.