Building Strategic Legal Resilience Against SLAPPs for Climate Defenders in the Philippines
22 August at 9AM Philippine Standard Time
(Thursday, August 21st at 9PM ET)
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are abusive lawsuits designed to shut down criticism or protest related to issues in the public interest. These lawsuits are filed to intimidate and harass the speaker into silence, and typically lack legal merit. SLAPPs are frequently used by fossil fuel companies to retaliate against climate defenders, including community members, scientists, and other critics.
Global Climate Legal Defense is hosting a series of webinars to help educate the broader climate movement about the rising threat from SLAPPs, and how to prepare, prevent, and fight back.
On 22 August, CliDef will bring together leading experts and practitioners on how SLAPPs are currently impacting climate defenders in the Philippines. Participants will learn about proven anti-SLAPP strategies, pitfalls, and how to engage in the movement to defend activists, communities, and other environmental human rights defenders from these abusive lawsuits.
PANELISTS:
Tony La Viña, Klima Center, Manila Observatory
John Menguito, Philippine Earth Justice Center
Aaron Pedrosa, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice
Zelda Soriano, Community Legal Help and Public Interest Centre
MODERATOR:
Nina Rances, Global Climate Legal Defense
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Below you will find research and tools that may be useful to review before the webinar.
Article 19: How are courts responding to SLAPPs?
The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre: SLAPPs platform
Global Climate Legal Defense: What is a SLAPP Lawsuit?
Protect the Protest: Guide for Activists on Reducing Exposure to SLAPPs
Supreme Court of the Philippines: Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases