The People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS) and PAN Asia Pacific (PANAP) strongly condemn the unjust arrest of development workers from the Paghida-et sa Kauswagan Development Group, Inc. (PDG) based in Negros, Central Philippines. Fabricated charges were filed against Mr. Federico “Pedring” Salvilla, Ms. Perla Pavillar, and Mr. Daryl Albanez to silence them as staunch genuine agrarian reform and food sovereignty campaigners in the Negros region./
These development workers have long stood alongside Negrense farmers, agricultural workers, and their communities in the fight for land, livelihood, and sustainable agriculture. For over 37 years, PDG has secured 2,000 hectares of land tenure benefiting 4,500 farmer families. They have also supported their struggles against the Consunji-owned palm oil plantation in Candoni town and the destructive open pit mining and tailings spills of Maricalum Mining Corporation in the towns of Cauayan and Sipalay.
Yet their service has been tied to terrorism, in an attempt to demonize and criminalize development work that is critical against state-backed development aggression, landgrabs, resource plunder, and human rights violations. We view this attack not only as an assault on PDG but as part of a broader crackdown on grassroots organizations striving for a just, equitable, healthy, and sustainable food system, especially genuine agrarian reform in the Philippines. We denounce the Marcos Jr. government for employing the same schemes as its predecessors to silence and immobilize CSOs like PDG through judicial harassment.
The PCFS and PANAP demand the dismissal of these trumped up charges against Salvilla, Pavillar, and Albanez; their immediate and unconditional release; the end of the political persecution of farmers and development workers. Let us unite against repression and express our solidarity with the rural people and their advocates in Negros.
Ways to support PDG:
- SIGN & SHARE THE STATEMENT: Call for the Immediate Release and Drop the Trumped up Charges Against Five Development Workers in Negros Occidental, Philippines | Sign via the NGO Alliance Website
- DONATE FOR THE BAIL FUND: Proceeds will be used to file bail for the three development workers of PDG, and to aid victims of extrajudicial attacks, criminalization, and impunity. This includes legal representation, sanctuary, food relief, rehabilitation, psycho-social counseling, transportation, communication, and security measures. Our target is to raise PHP 1.6 million for Salvilla, Pavillar, and Albanez to post bail at the soonest possible time.
USD ACCOUNT
Bank name: BDO Unibank, Inc.
Account name: People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS) Inc.
Account number: 104690106749
Please send proof of transaction to secretariat@pcfs.global
OTHER MEANS TO DONATE
Please contact diana.bando@panap.net for more details.
- SHOW SOLIDARITY: We encourage our members and network to release statements, photos, videos, graphics, or any content that call for the immediate release of PDG’s staff and the dropping of their trumped-up charges. Our calls:
Free Pedring Salvilla!
Free Perla Pavillar!
Free Daryl Albanez!
Defend PDG!
Drop the charges against PDG!
Hands off development workers!
Repeal the Anti-Terrorism Law!
Stand with farmers!
Stop the attacks against farmers and land rights defenders!
Asserting land rights is not a crime!