TACLOBAN CITY — A Tacloban court has dismissed the terrorism financing case filed against an internationally known humanitarian worker, citing violations of due process.

In a decision signed on 27 February, Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 45 in Tacloban junked the terrorism financing charge against Jazmin Jerusalem, executive director of the Leyte Center for Development and Empowerment (LCDE).

In her ruling, Judge Georgina Perez cited the “lack of the required publication of the foreign and supranational designation relied upon in charging the accused, which constitutes a clear violation of the constitutional guarantee of due process."

Jerusalem said the case against her relied solely on the testimonies of four alleged former rebels who claimed she had provided financial support to the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

The NPA and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) have been designated as terrorist organizations by several foreign governments, including the United States, which made the designation on 9 June 2002 and 18 September 2020; the European Union in 2005; and New Zealand on 11 October 2010 and 26 September 2019.

However, the court ruled that Jerusalem cannot be charged with financing terrorism based solely on an alleged designation made by foreign jurisdictions.

“A foreign or supranational designation cannot be deemed to be operative or legally effective in the Philippines, unless it has been published in accordance with Section 15 of RA 10168, which serves as the statutory mechanism for giving such designation legal force and binding effect,” the court ruled.

Earlier, the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 28 also ordered the lifting of the Provisional Asset Preservation Order (PAPO) imposed on LCDE.

Jerusalem and LCDE have received several national and international recognitions for their work in disaster risk reduction and management.

Jerusalem received the International Climate Heroine Award in 2017, presented by INGO CARE Germany, and the UN WIN DRR Leadership Award in 2021, given by United Nations Women in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) for Asia Pacific, among other honors.

She has also served as a member of the Regional Development Council (RDC), the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC).

LCDE likewise earned international recognition for its response to Typhoon Yolanda, providing assistance to more than 23,000 families with support from global partners such as Diakonie, World Jewish Relief, Peace Winds, Civic Force, Hope Bridge and Mercy Relief.

The organization was also named the “Most Outstanding NGO in Volunteer Work and Leader” by the Philippine National Volunteers Association in 2015 and received the National Gawad Kalasag Award from the Department of National Defense in 2006.