Environmental defender shot dead in Palawan

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — A team leader from the Bantay Gubat Environmental Legal Enforcement Unit of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO) was fatally attacked while conducting a monitoring patrol in a remote barangay.

Local police identified the victim as Jun Pacdaan, who was ambushed at around 11 a.m. on 3 December in Barangay Concepcion.

A corporal at Police Station 5 said that members of Bantay Gubat were reportedly caught off guard when someone suddenly opened fire while they were patrolling the mountainous area of the barangay.

Upon hearing gunshots, the group reportedly scattered, while Pacdaan was unable to follow after being struck by gunfire. He died from shotgun wounds to the forehead and mouth.

City ENRO chief Atty. Carlo Gomez said Pacdaan and his team from the Bantay Gubat section were on duty, monitoring the critical habitat area in Purok Bagong Sikat in Concepcion, when armed individuals attacked them.

“City ENRO suffered its [first] sacrifice in protecting the critical habitat of Cleopatra's Needle,” Gomez said in a statement.

He condemned Pacdaan's murder while paying tribute to his dedication to protecting the environment.

"We strongly condemn the senseless and treacherous murder of our Environmental Legal Enforcement team leader, Jun Pacdaan. He served City ENRO with full dedication and bravery to the last of his breath," he said.

Gomez urged the barangay officials of Concepcion and its residents to share any information that could aid in apprehending those responsible for the attack.

This incident highlights the ongoing issue of violence against land and environmental defenders in the Philippines.

A report by Global Witness published in September revealed that 17 of the 196 defenders killed or forcibly disappeared worldwide in 2023 were from the Philippines—the highest number in Asia.

Over the past decade, the country has recorded more killings of environmental defenders than any other in the region.

Pacdaan played an important role in safeguarding the Cleopatra's Needle Critical Habitat (CNCH) from illegal activities. Gomez expressed deep sympathy to Pacdaan's family and friends, mourning the loss of a committed protector of the environment.

He also reaffirmed the City ENRO's dedication to preserving Puerto Princesa City's remaining forests.

"Jun Pacdaan's death will not deter us from doing this responsibility in order to give our residents and the future generations of Puerto Princesa a healthy and pristine environment," Gomez added.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident, with no suspects identified so far.

Investigators suspect that the attack was carried out by individuals linked to illegal activities in the area.