Senator Jinggoy Estrada is urging the Senate to conduct a probe into the deaths of environmental defenders in the country, reported RH 28 Raymund Dadpaas on Monday, November 2.

Estrada’s office turned in Senate Resolution No. 697, urging an inquiry in response to the recent Global Witness 2026 report naming the Philippines as the “deadliest country in Asia” for environmental defenders for the 13th consecutive year.

For Estrada, the issue must not fall on deaf ears. These environmental defenders are merely ordinary citizens who were simply defending their lands, livelihoods, and the environment, but were killed for it.

In 2025, 124 environmental defenders were killed globally. The Philippines recorded 12 of these cases, the biggest number outside of Latin America.

Six of these were indigenous peoples, three were ordinary farmers, and one was a journalist.

Included in the Global Witness report is the case of Veronico Anterio, 65, who was a farmer in Barangay Carolina, Matuguinao, Samar. He was reportedly shot repeatedly by soldiers after falling victim to red-tagging.

Estrada said these deaths need to be investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable.