The Real Pandemic-The Political Repression of Indigenous People

On July 3, 2020, the Philippine government implemented a new Anti-Terrorism law which broadened the government’s power to designate individuals and groups as terrorists. Law enforcement can arrest terrorism suspects without a warrant, detain them for up to 24 days without charge and place them under surveillance for up to 90 days. It further removes the automatic financial penalty against law enforcement for wrongful detention. Windel Bolinget, the chairperson of the Cordillera People’s Alliance, and his family have recently been targeted in an online smear campaign, falsely linking them to communist organizations that are waging war against the government. The reality is that Cordillera People’s Alliance is leading campaigns that uphold their indigenous self-determination, and that protect their land and communities from environmentally devastating development projects. These include Canadian mining companies with active mining applications in the Cordillera: Philippine Metals Canada, Solfotara, Canex and Adanacex.