The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Nueva Vizcaya (SPNV) passed Resolution No. 2022-4036 on January 31, 2022 that officially endorses to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) the submitted formal petitions of the Alyansa ng Novo Vizcayano Para Sa Kalikasan (ANVIK) and the Nueva Vizcaya League of Youth for Nature (NUVILYON) regarding “allegations of threat, harassment, intimidation, and red-tagging perpetrated against youth leaders.”

This is in response to the letter of ANVIK Chairperson Fr. Vicente T. Tiam, dated December 10, 2021, relative to the following concerns: making a follow-up on the complaints presented during the SPNV’s Committee on Legal Affairs, Justice, and Human Rights meeting on October 27, 2021; submitting an additional list of cases of human rights violations since 2018; and requesting a meeting with the Chairperson of the same Committee.

SPNV Resolution No. 2022-4036 also takes cognizance of the NUVILYON’s letter, dated August 27, 2021, submitting a summary of allegations of threat, harassment, and intimidation perpetrated against youth and environmental activists in Nueva Vizcaya between 2019 and 2021.

The SPNV had acted on the earlier petitions of these people’s organizations (POs) by endorsing their submitted documents to the Provincial Legal Office (PLO) for assistance through SPNV Resolution No. 2021-3985.

Given the additional documents submitted by the POs, the SPNV members unanimously acquiesced to the motion of BM Elma P. Lejao, as they deemed it proper, to also endorse the petitions to the CHR which they said is “the proper forum having jurisdiction over the subject matter.”