Global Delegates Sound Alarm on Corruption and Human Rights Violations in Eastern Visayas 

TACLOBAN CITY — A group of international delegates has sounded the alarm on alleged widespread corruption and intensifying human rights violations in Tacloban City and the Samar provinces, following a four-day fact-finding mission in Eastern Visayas from October 11-14, 2025. 

The International Educational Tour (IET), composed of human rights advocates, legal experts, and environmental defenders from across the globe, uncovered what they describe as a “deep and dangerous crisis” in the region. Public money is being funneled into questionable mega-projects, while vulnerable communities face militarization, poverty, and systemic neglect. 

Billion-Peso Scandal: Cancabato Bay Causeway Under Fire 

At the center of the exposé is the controversial P1.2-billion Cancabato Bay Causeway, a government infrastructure project now mired in controversy over corruption, environmental destruction and displacement of local fisherfolk. The project was awarded to Sunwest Construction, a firm linked to former congressman Zaldy Co, who resigned amid corruption allegations.

Investigations revealed that Sunwest bagged a total of P6 billion in DPWH contracts across Leyte’s districts — areas largely controlled by the Romualdez.   

“This project is a double injustice. It destroys the livelihoods of fisherfolk, and it robs the people of billions that could have funded social services, wage hikes, and farming support,” said Atty. Neri Colmenares, former Bayan Muna representative, who personally visited the site. 

Environmental assessments by the delegation show alarming damage to Cancabato Bay’s marine ecosystem, threatening not only biodiversity but also the food security and income of coastal communities. 

Militarization and Human Rights Violations in Farming and Student Communities 

While public funds are being plundered, the region’s poorest — farmers, youth, and communities — are paying the price through military occupation, harassment, and surveillance. 

The IET documented at least 4,000 Samareños — or over 1,000 households — forcibly subjected to “hamletting” by the military. These operations confine rural families into controlled areas under suspicion of insurgent sympathies, disrupting livelihoods and creating a climate of fear. 

In Tacloban City, nearly 30 students and youth activists have reported cases of threats, harassment, and unlawful surveillance by members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP). 

“We spoke to student leaders, community journalists, and environmental defenders who live under constant threat — for nothing more than protecting their land and speaking truth to power,” said Jordan Nickel of ICHRP-USA, one of the delegates. 

Fisherfolk and Environmental Defenders Under Attack 

Fisherfolk in Cancabato Bay now fear the total collapse of their livelihood as they witness the slow death of the waters they once relied on. At the same time, individuals who dare to defend the environment — particularly mangrove forests and coastal ecosystems — face state-backed repression, red-tagging, and harassment. 

The delegation emphasized that these abuses are not isolated incidents, but part of a broader pattern of repression under the guise of development and counter-insurgency. 

Key Recommendations from the Delegation 

The International Educational Tour called for immediate and concrete steps from both the Philippine government and international watchdogs: 

• Hold corrupt officials accountable and investigate projects like the Cancabato Bay Causeway; 
• End the militarization of farming communities and immediately withdraw armed forces from schools and civilian spaces; 
• Redirect public funds toward meaningful support for farmers, fisherfolk, and the urban poor; 
• Halt destructive infrastructure projects that endanger both people and ecosystems.           

Call to Action 

The delegates underscored that these issues are not isolated but reflect a deepening crisis of governance and impunity in the region. 

“So long as the root causes of poverty, landlessness, and state violence remain unaddressed, the people’s suffering will deepen — and resistance will continue to grow,” the delegates warned. 

The group is urging civil society, international allies, and the Filipino public to stand in solidarity with the people of Eastern Visayas and to demand justice, transparency, and lasting peace.