Philippines tops Asia in killings of land and environmental defenders for 13th straight year

The Philippines was the deadliest country in Asia for people defending land and the environment in 2025, with 12 killings, according to a new report by the nonprofit Global Witness.

The group verified 124 such killings worldwide last year. Most, 85%, took place in Latin America, while Asia accounted for 12%. Beyond the Philippines, one defender was killed in each of India and Indonesia. It is the 13th consecutive year the Philippines has topped the regional ranking, and its 12 cases were the most recorded in any country outside Latin America, the report said.

Global Witness said the Philippine military is suspected of involvement in five of the 12 killings, which took place as counterinsurgency operations, mining and other resource projects expanded in rural areas.

Killings are only the most extreme reprisal defenders face, the report said. Activists also contend with lawsuits, criminal charges and smear campaigns. The Philippine rights group Karapatan documented terrorism charges against 227 activists in 2025, often following "red-tagging," the practice of falsely labeling activists as communist rebels or terrorists.

Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment, a Manila-based advocacy group, told Mongabay that attacks on defenders are "entrenched in state policies and structures that facilitate extractive and development projects." The group urged authorities to repeal the country's Anti-Terrorism Act and to review and suspend projects that displace Indigenous peoples and local communities.

This brief is based on reporting by Shreya Dasgupta, published Sept. 28, 2026, by Mongabay. Read the original: https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/philippines-is-the-deadliest-country-in-asia-for-environmental-defenders-report-finds/