Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center - FoE Philippines
@lrcphl.bsky.social
Campaigning with Indigenous and frontline communities in securing their rights to land, resources, and self-determination. Through legal action, research, and advocacy, we challenge environmental exploitation and advance climate justice. lrcksk.org
The cases filed against the Dupax del Norte defenders are intended to silence, intimidate, and ultimately deter public participation in the urgent environmental matters posed by the mining exploration, and must thus be immediately dismissed.#
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
The cases filed against the Dupax del Norte defenders are intended to silence, intimidate, and ultimately deter public participation in the urgent environmental matters posed by the mining exploration, and must thus be immediately dismissed.#
“A legal action filed to harass, vex, exert undue pressure or stifle any legal recourse that any person, institution or the government has taken or may take in the enforcement of environmental laws, protection of the environment or assertion of environmental rights.”
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
“A legal action filed to harass, vex, exert undue pressure or stifle any legal recourse that any person, institution or the government has taken or may take in the enforcement of environmental laws, protection of the environment or assertion of environmental rights.”
This act of overriding the legal rights of affected communities to prior consultation and dispute resolution by weaponizing judicial remedies clearly constitutes a SLAPP, defined by the Supreme Court’s Rules of Procedure on Environmental Cases as:
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
This act of overriding the legal rights of affected communities to prior consultation and dispute resolution by weaponizing judicial remedies clearly constitutes a SLAPP, defined by the Supreme Court’s Rules of Procedure on Environmental Cases as:
Instead of addressing disagreements through negotiation and arbitration, Woggle violated established procedure and went straight to taking the affected communities to court and effecting their arrest and detention.
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Instead of addressing disagreements through negotiation and arbitration, Woggle violated established procedure and went straight to taking the affected communities to court and effecting their arrest and detention.
...which in Oposa v. Factoran is qualified as carrying a correlative duty to refrain from impairing the environment.
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
...which in Oposa v. Factoran is qualified as carrying a correlative duty to refrain from impairing the environment.
In the face of an impending mining exploration that failed to adequately explain the extent, necessity, and manner of their activities to assuage concerns over possible adverse impacts, the barricaders legitimately exercised their right to a balanced and healthful ecology under Art. II Sec. 16...
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
In the face of an impending mining exploration that failed to adequately explain the extent, necessity, and manner of their activities to assuage concerns over possible adverse impacts, the barricaders legitimately exercised their right to a balanced and healthful ecology under Art. II Sec. 16...
...and their right to freedom of speech, expression, and to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances under Article III Section 4.
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
...and their right to freedom of speech, expression, and to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances under Article III Section 4.
For the barricaders, the assertion of their right to prior consultation is part of their broader constitutional right to effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political, and economic decision-making under Article XIII Section 16...
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
For the barricaders, the assertion of their right to prior consultation is part of their broader constitutional right to effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political, and economic decision-making under Article XIII Section 16...
This provision is consistent with Sec. 26 and 27 of the Local Government Code, which require prior consultation with local government units, nongovernment organizations, and other concerned sectors before any project or program that may affect their community’s ecological balance can be implemented.
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
This provision is consistent with Sec. 26 and 27 of the Local Government Code, which require prior consultation with local government units, nongovernment organizations, and other concerned sectors before any project or program that may affect their community’s ecological balance can be implemented.
In case of disagreement, a Panel of Arbitrators shall resolve the conflict or disagreement;”
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
In case of disagreement, a Panel of Arbitrators shall resolve the conflict or disagreement;”
“In cases where private or other parties including surface owners, indigenous cultural community and legitimate small-scale miners are affected, the permittee shall first discuss or negotiate with the said party(ies) the extent, necessity and manner of his/her entry, occupation and exploration."
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
“In cases where private or other parties including surface owners, indigenous cultural community and legitimate small-scale miners are affected, the permittee shall first discuss or negotiate with the said party(ies) the extent, necessity and manner of his/her entry, occupation and exploration."
The Mining Act puts the onus of prior consultation and dispute resolution onto the permittee, as affirmed in Section 31(b) of its implementing rules and regulations:
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
The Mining Act puts the onus of prior consultation and dispute resolution onto the permittee, as affirmed in Section 31(b) of its implementing rules and regulations:
“Provided, That if private or other parties are affected, the permittee shall first discuss with the said parties the extent, necessity, and manner of his entry, occupation and exploration and in case of disagreement, a panel of arbitrators shall resolve the conflict or disagreement.”
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
“Provided, That if private or other parties are affected, the permittee shall first discuss with the said parties the extent, necessity, and manner of his entry, occupation and exploration and in case of disagreement, a panel of arbitrators shall resolve the conflict or disagreement.”
But Woggle did not undertake the correct procedures in addressing the opposition of the barricaders. In discussing the rights of a holder of an Exploration Permit, Section 23 of the Mining Act of 1995 explicitly states:
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
But Woggle did not undertake the correct procedures in addressing the opposition of the barricaders. In discussing the rights of a holder of an Exploration Permit, Section 23 of the Mining Act of 1995 explicitly states:
Since September 2025, residents have barricaded vs. the mining exploration activities of the company linked to British mining corporation FCF Minerals. Woggle petitioned for a Temporary Restraining Order against the barricaders, which was recently enforced last Friday, 23 January 2026.
January 25, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Since September 2025, residents have barricaded vs. the mining exploration activities of the company linked to British mining corporation FCF Minerals. Woggle petitioned for a Temporary Restraining Order against the barricaders, which was recently enforced last Friday, 23 January 2026.
This endemic flower that gives us our tropical version of a White Christmas is testament to the unparalleled biodiversity of the Philippines' forest landscapes.
May it symbolize for us a meaningful holidays and may it inspire us to continue pursuing a #ForestFuture together in 2026!
May it symbolize for us a meaningful holidays and may it inspire us to continue pursuing a #ForestFuture together in 2026!
December 25, 2025 at 12:08 AM
This endemic flower that gives us our tropical version of a White Christmas is testament to the unparalleled biodiversity of the Philippines' forest landscapes.
May it symbolize for us a meaningful holidays and may it inspire us to continue pursuing a #ForestFuture together in 2026!
May it symbolize for us a meaningful holidays and may it inspire us to continue pursuing a #ForestFuture together in 2026!
This endemic flower that gives us our tropical version of a White Christmas is testament to the unparalleled biodiversity of the Philippines' forest landscapes.
May it symbolize for us a meaningful holidays and may it inspire us to continue pursuing a #ForestFuture together in 2026!
May it symbolize for us a meaningful holidays and may it inspire us to continue pursuing a #ForestFuture together in 2026!
December 25, 2025 at 12:06 AM
This endemic flower that gives us our tropical version of a White Christmas is testament to the unparalleled biodiversity of the Philippines' forest landscapes.
May it symbolize for us a meaningful holidays and may it inspire us to continue pursuing a #ForestFuture together in 2026!
May it symbolize for us a meaningful holidays and may it inspire us to continue pursuing a #ForestFuture together in 2026!
The petitioners believe that the issuance of renewals and addendum to FTAAs should take into consideration the concrete, present environmental conditions and community needs, especially as the country faces an unprecedented climate crisis that the previous FTAA never took into account.
December 23, 2025 at 9:47 AM
The petitioners believe that the issuance of renewals and addendum to FTAAs should take into consideration the concrete, present environmental conditions and community needs, especially as the country faces an unprecedented climate crisis that the previous FTAA never took into account.
By accepting this position, the court disregarded the constitutional safeguard that limits mineral agreements to a first period of 25 years and allows only one renewal of 25 years.
December 23, 2025 at 9:47 AM
By accepting this position, the court disregarded the constitutional safeguard that limits mineral agreements to a first period of 25 years and allows only one renewal of 25 years.
It was noted in the petition filed last December 19, 2025 that the RTC’s ruling rests on the mistaken view that the 2019 Addendum and Renewal Agreement simply continued the 1994 FTAA.
December 23, 2025 at 9:47 AM
It was noted in the petition filed last December 19, 2025 that the RTC’s ruling rests on the mistaken view that the 2019 Addendum and Renewal Agreement simply continued the 1994 FTAA.
The SC was sought to review whether the Bayombong Regional Trial Court erred in its recent ruling that the people's right to prior public consultations does not apply to the renewal of FTAAs, and that renewal is mere continuation of the FTAA.
December 23, 2025 at 9:47 AM
The SC was sought to review whether the Bayombong Regional Trial Court erred in its recent ruling that the people's right to prior public consultations does not apply to the renewal of FTAAs, and that renewal is mere continuation of the FTAA.
for violating the guarantee of local autonomy and failure to conduct public prior consultations with the affected communities.
December 23, 2025 at 9:47 AM
for violating the guarantee of local autonomy and failure to conduct public prior consultations with the affected communities.