The Council for Health and Development (CHD) welcomes with cautious optimism the Regional Trial Court Branch 74 in Cebu City’s decision on May 15, 2026, to dismiss the terrorism financing charges against the 27 council members and staff of the Community Empowerment Resource Network (CERNET). This ruling, released on May 18, 2026, is not merely a legal victory for the accused but a reaffirmation of the fundamental truth that humanitarian work and service to the poor are not crimes.

For over three years, the CERNET 27 as they have been collectively known, have endured the crushing weight of a malicious prosecution filed under Republic Act No. 10168. The charges, rooted in fabricated evidence and the testimonies of alleged rebel returnees, were a textbook example of the weaponization of counterterrorism laws. As the court correctly noted, the acts charged did not constitute a crime under the law in force at the time. The prosecution’s reliance on foreign designations that had never been officially published in the Philippines, in direct violation of due process, exposed the legal vacuity of the entire case from the start.

This dismissal exposes the dangerous pattern of using the Anti-Terror Financing Law to intimidate, silence, and harass human rights defenders, development workers, and civil society organizations. The involvement of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and its legal task force in filing charges against individuals (three of whom were already deceased at the time of filing) demonstrates a reckless disregard for the rule of law and basic human dignity. The fact that the complainant, then PA Col. Joey A. Escanillas, was promoted to Brigadier General shortly after filing the complaint only deepens the concern regarding the politicization of these legal processes.

While we celebrate this hard-won victory, the Council for Health and Development remains deeply concerned about the broader landscape of civic space in the Philippines. The dismissal of this case does not erase the trauma inflicted on the accused, their families, and the communities they serve. Nor does it stop the ongoing legislative threats, such as the proposed “terror-grooming” bill, which seeks to further criminalize dissent and activism.

The CHD stands in full solidarity with the CERNET 27. Their courage in the face of state persecution has been an inspiration to the entire development sector.

We echo their call for accountability: those who orchestrated and enabled these baseless accusations must be held responsible. The state must not be allowed to use its legal machinery to persecute those who dedicate their lives to serving marginalized communities.

We extend our deepest gratitude to their brave lawyers and to the international community for their support. Most importantly, we honor the communities that stood by CERNET through years of uncertainty. Their solidarity is the true foundation of this victory.

The dismissal of the CERNET 27 case is a message to all: serving the poor is not terrorism. We will continue to fight for a society where civic space is protected, where human rights are respected, and where development work is never criminalized.##