A municipal court in Nueva Vizcaya has dropped the charges against Bayombong Bishop Jose Elmer Mangalinao and other anti-mining advocates who had been opposing a mining exploration project in the province.
The charges were filed after Indigenous communities, joined by local church leaders, established barricades and held prayer vigils to oppose mining exploration by North Luzon Minerals Resources Corporation (NLMRC) on ancestral lands spanning over 4,400 hectares.
Mangalinao, Fr. Christian Dumangeng, and several community members who participated in the barricades faced charges of forcible entry, along with a temporary restraining order (TRO) and a writ of preliminary injunction.
Bishop Mangalinao stressed that his involvement in the dispute was pastoral, not political. He said he prayed with the people and accompanied families requesting the Church’s help.
“This outcome is not only a legal victory. It is a victory for truth, justice, and the collective efforts of communities who courageously stand to protect our land, water, and future generations,” he said.
The dispute focuses around concerns that mining exploration in the municipality of Kasibu could harm vital watersheds, agricultural fields, along with the livelihoods of Indigenous residents.
Residents of Kasibu urged government agencies to uphold the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), which affirms the rights of Indigenous Peoples to their ancestral lands and requires obtaining Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) before starting any projects that could affect these places.
Catholic institutions nationwide rallied behind Mangalinao, calling for respect for indigenous rights and ecological care.
Photo © Erwin Mascariñas/Global Witness