Edgardo Balgos (in blue shirt) and Fidel Santos (in cream shirt) in discussions with the residents of Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines.
© Photo courtesy of Ellice Balgos
(Manila) – Prosecutors in the Philippines should dismiss criminal libel complaints, including those filed by a mining company, against four rights advocates in Nueva Vizcaya province, Human Rights Watch said today.
In July 2026, the North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation filed a criminal complaint for cyber-libel against two lawyers representing local communities. The complaint accused the lawyers of defaming the company through their statements on Facebook and on a radio broadcast in which they alleged that the company did not consult residents affected by the company’s operations, including farmers and members of the Indigenous Bugkalot/Ilangot tribe. Two community leaders also face cyber-libel complaints.
“Philippine prosecutors should dismiss criminal complaints filed by companies to silence communities raising concerns about their business operations,” said Lian Buan, Southeast Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Philippine legislators should revive bills that would make it easier for the authorities to block such criminal lawsuits from proceeding.”
Cyber-libel, defined as libel “committed through a computer system or any other similar means,” is a criminal offense under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, punishable by 6 to 12 years in prison. Under Philippine law, prosecutors can dismiss criminal complaints, including for libel, for lack of evidence.
The lawyers, Fidel Santos and Edgardo Balgos, represent residents of Kasibu, a town in Nueva Vizcaya province. The residents filed a petition on July 14 before the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources to cancel the company’s permit for mining exploration, alleging it had not adequ
