On July 26, 2022, unidentified men were allegedly seen roving around the residence of Ronald Deocadiz, 38 years old, human rights defender, land rights advocate and organizer, in Barangay Caduhaan, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental. Deocadiz is a community leader and organizer specialized in land rights and disputes in Negros Occidental. Deocadiz is also a paralegal volunteer who help farm workers in Barangay Purisima, Manapla push their land claims against Victorias Milling Company - Manapla Distillery (VMC) which led to multiple harassment incidents.

According to Deocadiz, on July 24, he received a tip from a friend telling him to be cautious in his movements for he is already in the Order of Battle (OB). Deocadiz said that his friend allegedly heard rumors circulating within the blue guards of VMC. Deaocadiz added that he was not surprised to hear the news for he was already expecting these kinds of aggression, but is still wary, given that one leader from Manapla was killed on July 13.

According to Deocadiz, later that day, his sister-in-law also told him the same information but from a different source. Deocadiz said that his sister-in-law was visited by a friend who allegedly told her that Deocadiz is in the OB and will be killed by persons riding-in-tandem. Deocadiz said that the tips from his friend and his sister-in-law coincidentally matched and had become very serious to be ignored.

According to Deocadiz, on Tuesday morning, July 26, he noticed suspicious-looking men lurking and roving around his residence. Deocadiz said that at first, he did not pay much attention to it and thought that maybe the men were just from another barangay visiting someone in his neighborhood. Deocadiz added that he was later convinced that the men were after him when the same men kept passing by their house for no apparent reason. Deocadiz then decided to move to a relatively safer place and inform his networks about his ordeal.

According to Deocadiz, although he is safe for now, he is not sure whether or not he would be safe in the coming days. Deocadiz said that the owner of his temporary safe house also received multiple death threats due to their line of work. Deocadiz is asking for a much safer place to hide for the meantime. Deocadiz said that he is currently in a dire situation and is badly in need of support from networks.

Background:

Deocadiz is one of the main organizers who assisted Felicidad Begonia Farm Workers Association (FBFWA), an organization of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB), that has a land dispute with VMC-Manapla Distillery. FBFWA then launched a mass action protest on February 9, 2022, in the hopes that their calls and claims would be heard by concerned government agencies. The mass protest almost came to a halt when the Manapla Philippine National Police (PNP) carried out a violent dispersal on February 17 that resulted in the arrest of four members and injury of several members.

Throughout the ARBs’ struggle for land claims, various ways and tactics were allegedly employed by VMC to harass and intimidate the ARBs. This past few months, FBFWA members reported different incidents of harassment they allegedly experienced. These alleged harassment incidents vary from simple surveillance to death threats and trumped-up cases. On July 13,, Rodan Berito, FBFWA’s chairperson, was shot dead while riding his motorcycle in Victorias City.