Justice for Rudolph and Rico! Stop the killing of Indigenous Peoples’ rights defenders!

Katribu strongly condemns the killing of Indigenous Peoples’ rights advocates Rudolph Dela Cruz Espe and Rico Gonzaga Malubay on July 27, 2025 in Banaybanay, Davao Oriental. We have lost two respected community leaders, paralegals, and defenders in this act of violence by unknown assailants.

We hold the Bongbong Marcos’ administration accountable for enabling this climate of impunity. This crime happened right before his 4th State of the Nation Address, where Marcos stated that the Philippines is more peaceful due to the counter-insurgency work of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police. It is clear, however, that peace does not come from said state forces, nor are they doing anything to actually address crime and rights violations in the country. Under Marcos Jr.’s administration, human rights violations are equated to peace.

We urge the Commission on Human Rights to conduct a full and impartial investigation into their killings. We call on the PNP to also cooperate in these investigations.

The extrajudicial killing of Rudolph and Rico is not an isolated case. They are known activists and leaders in their circles, known for their staunch defense of Indigenous communities and the environment. Others like the two of them have also been slain under Marcos Jr.’s administration, such as Antonio Diwayan, Elioterio Ugking, and Ali Macalintal–Indigenous Peoples and Moro activists who work for better living conditions of their communities.

Davao Oriental is home to the open-pit mining operations of Riverbend Consolidated Mining Corporation (RCMC), operated by Arc Nickel Resources, Inc. In 2022, these operations caused a massive siltation incident that turned rivers orange and led to widespread fish kills—severely affecting the livelihoods of fisherfolk communities. This is exactly the kind of environmental destruction that Rudolph and Rico opposed. Their resistance to such plunder is a testament to their deep commitment to protecting both people and land.