Indigenous rights defenders return to QC court, assert trumped-up charges vs IP rights advocate be dismissed

Indigenous Peoples and rights groups Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas, Bai Indigenous Women’s Network, Siklab Philippine Indigenous Youth Network, Sandugo - Movement of Moro and Indigenous Peoples for Self-Determination, Bayan Muna Partylist, and Kalikasan PNE protested in front of the Quezon City Justice Hall on Monday to show their support for Niezel Velasco, a Lumad rights defender, who faces trumped-up charge of estafa filed before the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 34. Aside from the trumped-up charge of estafa, Niezel is also facing trumped-up charges of unjust vexation and maltreatment filed at the Antipolo Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 1. Both of these charges were filed against the person “Mary Jane Velasco”, of which Niezel doesn’t have any connection to.

Niezel, along with Manobo woman Julieta Gomez, were detained for almost four years due to trumped-up charges of murder and attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms and explosives. The murder and attempted charges were dismissed in 2022 and 2023, while they were acquitted of the illegal possession of firearms and explosives charges in April 2025. However, despite this dismissal, the new trumped-up charges of estafa and unjust vexation and maltreatment further delayed justice for Niezel.

During the protest, representatives of the groups demanded for the immediate dismissal of the trumped-up charges as these are baseless, and unjustly criminalize the life and work of Niezel as an Indigenous Peoples rights advocate.

Dumagat woman and coordinator of Bai Indigenous Women’s Network, Kakay Tolentino, highlighted the injustice of such false charges not only against Niezel, but against all who share her advocacies of offering relief in times when the government fails to do so. “Si Niezel ay naglilingkod sa mga pamayanan ng mga Lumad at naghahatid ng tulong sa mga panahon ng kalamidad. Ang gobyerno na may pangunahing responsibilidad dito ay hindi tumutugon sa panawagan para sa mga batayang serbisyong panlipunan.”

Cathleen De Guzman of Kalikasan PNE stated that the trumped-up charges are part of the state’s systemic attacks on Indigenous Peoples rights defenders. “Sa mata kasi ng gobyerno ni Marcos Jr., ang mga tulad ni Niezel ay sagabal, dahil hindi sila yumuyuko at nangangayupapa sa interes ng mga burukrata-kapitalista at mga dayuhang korporasyon na patuloy na pinagsasamantalahan ang ating likas na yaman.”

Ephin Falyao of the Siklab Indigenous Youth Network and a Balangao-Ilias youth from the Mountain province ended the program by calling out that the trumped-up charges serve nothing more than to suppress the growing mass movements of the Indigenous Peoples. “Hindi gusto ng estado na ipaglaban natin ang ating karapatan para sa kalayaan, karapatan, at kapasyan, dahil sila ang mananagot. Sa ating pagdepensa sa ating karapatan sa lupang ninuno, sila ang nawawalan ng kontrol at kapangyarihan.”

Meanwhile, Funa-ay Claver, spokesperson of Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas, said on a separate statement, “Naniningil pa din tayo ng hustisya para sa halos apat na taon na pagkakulong ni Niezel sa ilalim ni Rodrigo Duterte, at biglang kakasuhan muli ng panibagong trumped-up charges sa panahon naman ni Marcos Jr.” She continued, “Lantad ang desperasyon ng estado para patahimikin ang mga rights defenders, pero hinding-hindi titigil ang laban natin para sa pagpapabasura ng mga gawa-gawang kaso. Ibasura ang mga gawa-gawang kaso laban kay Niezel Velasco! Panagutin ang administrasyong Duterte sa paglabag sa karapatang pantao, at singilin si Bongbong Marcos sa pagpapatuloy nito!”

The groups asserted that the trumped-up charges against Niezel should be dropped immediately, and that the fight for justice continues–not only for Niezel but for all others who were falsely charged and detained.

Reference: Funay-ay Claver