After three years of trial, a Cebu City regional trial court dismissed the terrorism financing charges against 27 current and former members of the Community Empowerment Resource Network (CERNET), a local non-governmental organization (NGO) on May 15, 2026. The case centered on allegations that CERNET provided support to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in 2012.
The court ruled that, at the time the alleged support occurred, the CPP-NPA was not yet officially listed as a terrorist organisation under Philippine law. The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 (Republic Act 10168) requires an official, publicly published designation before any prosecution. Because the CPP-NPA’s designation came years after the events in question, the judge found the charges groundless and noted a lack of due process.
CERNET, joined by human rights advocates and civil society groups, welcomed the ruling and said it exposed how counterterrorism laws have been used against humanitarian and development organizations to silence them. They added that NGOs and activists continue to face threats, such as the proposed “terror-grooming” bill filed by Senator Ronald dela Rosa.
CERNET said it would pursue accountability for what it described as a baseless and malicious prosecution.
Despite the court’s decision, CERNET’s bank accounts remain frozen.
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and other security officials said they respected the court’s decision, emphasizing that it rested on technical and procedural grounds, not a declaration of innocence. They stated that investigations into terrorism financing will continue, noting that some groups remain under scrutiny for possible links to insurgency funding.
Photo © CERNET 27