The Kasibu Municipal Trial Court has dismissed a forcible entry case filed against a Catholic bishop, a priest, and several community members involved in anti-mining barricades in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, marking a legal victory for environmental defenders opposing a mining exploration project.
The complaint named Bishop Elmer Mangalinao of Bayombong, Fr. Christian Dumangeng, and several community members involved in maintaining barricades in Kasibu.
In its June 24 order, the local court dismissed the complaint after finding that it lacked jurisdiction over the instant action. The court said the complaint sought to challenge the validity of a Certificate of Non-Overlap issued by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and Presidential Proclamation No. 1498, matters beyond its authority to resolve. It noted that the plaintiff, Rosario Camma, who identified herself as the overall chieftain of the Bugkalot-Ilongot Indigenous Cultural Communities, sought to restrain activities related to the barricades rather than recover possession of the disputed areas, a remedy the court said could not be granted in a forcible entry case.
The court also denied the plaintiff’s application for a writ of preliminary injunction, citing failure to establish a clear legal right that would justify the issuance.
In a statement, Mangalinao said the court ruling affirmed the efforts of communities defending their land, water, and future generations.
“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 case stemmed from opposition to a mining exploration project covering 4,456 hectares in the communities of Pao, Kakiduguen, Paquet, Dine, Catarawan, Siguem, Muta, and Biyoy in Kasibu town.
Residents established barricades in May to block the movement of fuel, equipment, and mineral samples linked to the exploration activities of North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation (NLMRC). Community members, church groups, environmental advocates, and some Indigenous leaders have raised concerns over the project’s potential effects on watersheds, ancestral lands, and local livelihoods.
Earlier, the Defend Nueva Vizcaya Movement condemned the case and described it as part of a broader pattern of legal action targeting communities resisting mining projects.
“The filing of a ‘forcible entry’ case against Bishop Jose Elmer Mangalinao, Fr. Christian Dumangeng, and fellow defenders in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, is not just a matter of civil law– it exposes how laws are being weaponized against land and environmental defenders,” the group said in a June 22 statement.
The coalition also cited lawyer Fidel Santos, who described the complaint as a strategic lawsuit against public participation, or SLAPP, “intended to intimidate environmental advocates and critics of mining activities.”
Following the dismissal of the case, Mangalinao thanked Indigenous communities, environmental advocates, legal defenders, and supporters who stood with the respondents throughout the proceedings.
“We are deeply grateful for your prayers, solidarity, encouragement, and unwavering support throughout this challenging journey. You reminded us that we were never alone,” he said.
The bishop said the ruling would strengthen continuing efforts to defend the environment and communities affected by extractive projects.
“Let this moment remind us that defending our watersheds, our environment, and our people’s livelihood is not a crime—it is a shared moral responsibility,” he said.#
