By By Juliane Judilla
Human rights and youth organizations in Western Visayas condemned what they described as continuing harassment, surveillance, and red-tagging of an environmental advocate and her sister by state forces.
The Western Visayas Youth and Students Alliance, Pamatan-on Kontra Kurapsyon (PAKK), and the OIKOS Ecological Movement said they have received reports that the family of Alek (surname withheld)—a PAKK member, OIKOS Panay coordinator, and known environmental advocate—has been repeatedly visited by personnel of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Civil Military Operations Regiment.
According to the groups, soldiers approached the siblings’ parents in an attempt to convince them to “clear” the names of their daughters, allegedly claiming the two were involved with revolutionary organizations.
In a statement, PAKK denounced the visits and the red-tagging attempts, saying that it reflects the state’s “blatant effort to suppress student activism,” adding that such actions are often justified under the government’s whole-of-nation approach to counterinsurgency.
“Pamatan-on Kontra Kurapsyon (PAKK) vehemently condemns the series of harassment incidents against students by state forces—a desperate ploy to malign the massive youth movement!” the group said.
The group criticized what it called the government’s skewed spending priorities, citing the proposed ₱411.48-billion budget for the Department of National Defense in the 2026 National Expenditure Program. This, they said, stands in stark contrast to the funding issues faced by the free tertiary education program, which reportedly suffered a ₱12.3-billion deficit from 2022 to 2025.
“This abandonment of the government’s duty to the youth has forced state universities and colleges to cut down on costs and student intake, yet billions continue to be lost to corruption—money borne out of people’s hard work,” the statement read.
PAKK also pointed to unresolved corruption controversies, particularly the alleged anomalies in flood-control projects. Despite widespread public outrage, the group said, no officials have been held accountable months after the scandal surfaced.
“Instead, subpoenas, harassment, and other efforts to silence the youth’s dissent have become the state’s response—and it speaks volumes about their priorities,” the group added.
Meanwhile, UPV Oikos Ecological Movement also slammed the AFP, saying that red-tagging is not just an attack on individuals, but an attack on free thought, on the right to organize, and on the democratic space of the youth.
“With every act of harassment, they only further prove why people like Alek are urgently needed: brave, aware, and ready to stand up,” the group said in a statement.
“Stop the intimidation and human rights violations. Restore respect for the rights of the people. And above all, reallocate funds from militarization toward education, environmental protection, and genuine public service,” the group emphasized.
Alek is a staunch environmental advocate who, together with other environmental groups in Panay, has led campaigns for environmental protection and sustainability. She is one of the convenors of the Fisherfolk and Environment Advocates Network (FIFTEEN), which launched the petition calling for a review and reversal of the landmark Supreme Court Mercidar ruling that allows commercial fishing vessels to operate in municipal waters./PT
