A court in the central Philippine province of Palawan has acquitted Indigenous woman Angelica Nasiron of two cyberlibel charges stemming from her advocacy for her Molbog community’s ancestral-domain claim.
Other community members still face 292 criminal cases.
The Regional Trial Court of Palawan acquitted Angelica Nasiron in Criminal Cases Nos. 44800 and 44801 after finding that prosecutors failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
The court found that Nasiron acted in good faith and had a legitimate and justifiable purpose in defending her community’s claim over Marihangin and questioning the official conduct of an Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative.
It also ordered the cancellation and return of her two cash bonds.
In a statement issued by the SAMBILOG–Balik Bugsuk Movement, Nasiron called the acquittal “a big victory for us,” saying in Filipino that the decision had encouraged other community members to stand firm.
“I hope fellow Indigenous people will not be afraid. If they know that what they are fighting for is right, they should continue to stand firm,” she said.
The movement said the ruling also placed several unresolved issues on the judicial record, including the ancestral-domain claim over Marihangin and the presence and interests of Indigenous families in the contested area.
It cited questions surrounding a Certificate of Non-Overlap and a recommended field-based investigation that was not completed before the certificate was issued.
According to the group, the court found that evidence provided a factual basis for Nasiron’s concern that the complainant had sided with large corporations.
The movement said the finding calls for transparency and an independent investigation, but stressed that it should not be interpreted as a criminal conviction of the complainant or any corporation.
Bhebz Pelayo of the movement’s Marihangin chapter said the judgment renewed hope among community members who had doubted whether they could prevail.
“We used to think that because we are poor, we would not win. Now we have seen that the law is also for the poor,” Pelayo said in Filipino. “
Nasiron’s acquittal does not determine ownership of Marihangin, approve the pending Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title claim, cancel any title or government certification, or establish civil or criminal liability against Jewelmer International Corporation, San Miguel Corporation, or any other company.
The broader legal dispute involving the community remains unresolved. Community members still face 10 grave-coercion cases and 282 trespassing cases, while the ancestral-domain process remains pending, according to the movement.
SAMBILOG–Balik Bugsuk and PAKISAMA called on authorities to protect Nasiron and other community defenders from possible retaliation, intimidation, harassment, and further criminalization.
The groups also sought an independent review of the Certificate of Non-Overlap process, completion of ancestral-domain and agrarian-reform proceedings, and fair treatment for Indigenous community members facing the remaining cases.
Nasiron said the court victory did not end the community’s campaign. “The fight continues,” she said in Filipino.
