Authorities in Bohol have taken into custody a local official and former development worker on charges related to terrorism financing. The arrest has sparked debate, with a human rights group alleging it is part of a pattern targeting legitimate community service.
Details of the Arrest in Talibon
Personnel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Bohol Provincial Field Unit arrested Carmilo Tabada, 56, on Saturday, December 20, 2025. The arrest occurred at 1 p.m. in Purok 2, Barangay Poblacion, Talibon town.
Tabada, a former staff member of the Central Visayas Farmers’ Development Center (Fardec) and a current barangay councilor of Barangay Poblacion in Trinidad, Bohol, was apprehended based on a warrant for violating Republic Act 10168, the Terrorism Financing Prevention Act of 2012.
The warrant was issued by Judge Van Russel Inopiquez of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 74 in Cebu City on December 19, 2025. The court set bail for his temporary liberty at P200,000.
Case History and Jurisdictional Shift
The legal journey of this case has seen a change of venue. It was initially filed with RTC Branch 101 in Talibon, but that court dismissed it, stating it lacked jurisdiction over the matter.
Following the dismissal, the CIDG refiled the complaint against Tabada on November 27, 2024, this time with the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office. The charge specifically cited violation of Section 8 of RA 10168. The case was then elevated to RTC Branch 74 in Cebu City, which took on the proceedings and issued the arrest warrant.
CIDG operatives, as part of their Oplan Pagtugis program targeting individuals with outstanding warrants, formed a tracker team that successfully located and arrested Tabada after the warrant was issued.
Human Rights Concerns and Current Status
The arrest has drawn criticism from advocacy groups. Karapatan Central Visayas released a statement pointing out that the same terrorism financing case had been filed and dismissed earlier by a Bohol court due to jurisdictional issues.
The group defended Tabada's character, stating, "Carmilo Tabada’s work with Fardec and his role as an elected barangay official reflect his commitment to serving farmers and rural communities." They further argued that his arrest "is not an isolated incident but part of a broader campaign to criminalize development work, humanitarian assistance, and legitimate political participation."
As of now, Carmilo Tabada is detained at the CIDG 7 custodial facility. He is scheduled to be presented before the court to face the charges against him.
