A Catholic bishop sued over his involvement in an anti-mining campaign said he will continue supporting communities defending their land, describing the Church’s environmental advocacy as a pastoral duty.
Bishop Jose Elmer Mangalinao of Bayombong issued the statement after being named among several defendants in a civil case linked to opposition to a mining exploration project in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.
“As Bishop of this Diocese, I carry the responsibility … to stand with the poor, defend the vulnerable, and be a voice for those whose voices are often unheard,” Mangalinao said. “This is not a political duty. It is a pastoral one.”
He said his visit to residents maintaining a vigil against the project was intended to celebrate Mass, offer prayers and provide spiritual support.
“I went to accompany, not to direct. I went to comfort, not to command,” Mangalinao said, rejecting suggestions that the diocese played an adversarial role in the dispute.
The lawsuit was filed by a man who identified herself as the overall chieftain of the Bugkalot and Ilongot indigenous community.
The complaint seeks court remedies related to an anti-mining barricade established within ancestral domain areas affected by the exploration project.
According to reports from diocesan radio news arm DWRV, the case also names Fr. Christian Dumangeng, the diocese’s former social action commission director, and several other individuals.
A municipal trial court in Kasibu declined to issue a temporary restraining order sought by the plaintiff but set a June 23 hearing on a request for a writ of preliminary injunction.
Lawyer Fidel Santos, counsel for the defendants, described the complaint as a strategic lawsuit against public participation, or SLAPP, intended to intimidate environmental advocates and critics of mining activities.
Mangalinao said the Church will continue listening to “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor,” while urging prayers for affected communities and a peaceful resolution of the dispute.
The bishop received support from fellow Church leaders, including Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
David recalled Mangalinao’s recovery from a heart attack and quintuple bypass surgery few years ago and praised his courage in facing the legal challenge.
“Whether fighting for his own life or standing up for what he believes is life-giving for his people, Bishop Elmer has never lacked courage,” David said. “From fighting for his life to fighting for life itself.”
Archbishop Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao, chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs, also expressed solidarity with Mangalinao “and for all who courageously work to protect our common home.”
“May their witness remind us that caring for the earth is not only an environmental concern but a moral responsibility,” Baccay said.
