A court in Iloilo City dismissed terrorism financing charges against three development workers from Negros last March 14, citing lack of jurisdiction and failure to constitute an offense.

Federico Salvilla, Perla Pavillar, and Dharyl Albañez were cleared of charges after the court granted their Joint Motion to Quash.

Salvilla and Pavillar are staff members of the Paghidaet sa Kauswagan Development, Inc. (PDG). They were among four PDG staff members accused of financing terrorism. The charges were based on complaints filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on December 3, 2024.

State forces also arrested development worker Albañez on January 2, 2025, wrongly identifying him as affiliated with PDG.

PDG, a development organization advocating for agrarian reform, sustainable agriculture, and farmers’ rights in Southern Negros, has previously faced red-tagging and harassment. Its executive director, Atty. Benjamin Ramos Jr., was assassinated in 2018.

‘Unconstitutional’

The ruling also further declared Section 3(e)(1) of Republic Act No. 10168, or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012, unconstitutional.

The provision defines “designated persons” as individuals or groups identified as terrorists, terrorism financiers, or terrorist organizations under a United Nations Security Council Resolution or by another jurisdiction or supranational body.

Before their arrests, several development workers associated with PDG Inc, including those charged, reported increased surveillance and intimidation. (Related story: Witnesses coerced to withdraw testimony in support of dev’t workers charged with financing terrorism)

PDG continues to call for the dismissal of charges against two others facing the same case. Clarissa Ramos, widow of slain human rights lawyer Ben Ramos, is PDG’s former executive director. Felipe Gelle Jr., also a PDG staff member, is the head of the Human Rights Alliance of Negros.