Leaders of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), along with their families, lawyers, and supporters, went to the Court of Appeals (CA) in Manila on Thursday, Sept. 24, to challenge a Baguio City Regional Trial Court (RTC) decision upholding the designation of four of their members as “terrorists.“
The four are Indigenous leaders Windel Bolinget, Sarah Abellon-Alikes, Jennifer Awingan-Taggaoa, and Stephen Tauli.
The Baguio City RTC Branch 78 denied their petition on April 30, 2026. The petition sought judicial review of their designation by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) in 2023.
The CPA is now asking the CA to reverse the ruling and invalidate the designation.
The group also called for the repeal of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, or Republic Act No. 11479, and opposed what it described as the use of counter-terrorism and terrorism-financing laws against Indigenous Peoples, human rights defenders, civil society organizations, and communities asserting their rights.
“We demand the repeal of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and an end to the weaponization of counter-terrorism and terrorism-financing laws against Indigenous Peoples, human rights defenders, civil society organizations, and communities asserting their rights,” the group said in a statement.
Bayan Chairperson Teddy Casiño said the petitioners are also asking the CA to declare unconstitutional the provisions that allow the ATC to designate individuals as terrorists and to lift the freeze on their bank accounts.
“Hinihingi nila sa Court of Appeals na ipagwalang-bisa ’yung pag-designate sa kanila, ideklara na unconstitutional ’yung probisyon ng batas na nagpahintulot sa ATC na gawin ang mga bagay na iyon at alisin ’yung pag-freeze sa kanilang mga bank account,” Casiño said.
Reports from RH Tina Nolasco
Watch the full report below:
Cordillera Peoples Alliance, umapela sa CA na alisin ang 'terrorist designation' sa 4 nilang miyembro at ibasura ang Terror Law | RH 09 @NolascoAgustina, DZRH News#OperationTulong
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) September 24, 2026
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