URDANETA, Pangasinan — A Regional Trial Court in Urdaneta City acquitted indigenous rights advocate Sarah Abelon Alikes of terrorism financing charges on 23 June, citing insufficient evidence from the prosecution.

In a resolution received 26 July, Branch 73 Presiding Judge Crisma Vismanos-Nabua granted the demurrer to evidence filed by Alikes through her counsel, attorney King Anthony Montreal.

The court ruled to acquit Alikes of violating Section 8(ii) of Republic Act 10168, also known as the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.

In its decision, the court stated that prosecutors failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Alikes knowingly provided funds, property, services, or support for terrorist purposes.

Judge Vismanos-Nabua cited that the prosecution failed to establish any definite transfer of funds, conscious furnishing of material support, or the required guilty knowledge.

The ruling added that testimony provided by police witnesses was derivative and lacked personal knowledge of material facts.

To recall, the case originated from allegations filed by police investigators, leading to criminal proceedings in Pangasinan.

The acquittal follows years of legal actions and government measures targeting Cordillera activists.

In June 2023, the Anti-Terrorism Council designated Alikes and three other leaders of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance as terrorist individuals under Resolution No. 41, freezing their personal bank accounts and organizational assets.

Alikes and her co-petitioners challenged the designation and the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act before a Baguio City trial court, which denied their petition in April before it was elevated on appeal.

Alikes previously faced rebellion charges in Abra alongside other regional community leaders, which a court dismissed in 2023 after granting a motion to quash.

Human rights organizations and allies of indigenous groups have maintained that the legal complaints against Alikes are part of broader red-tagging and judicial harassment intended to silence indigenous rights advocacy in the region.