Known as “Ate Liza,” Annaliza Dinopol Gallardo was president of the Agrarian Reform Council for Mindanao Pioneers, in Tacurong City in the Philippines, and campaigned for land rights for local people.

From street marches to legal battles in government courts, Annaliza led the 307 agrarian reform beneficiaries who made up her organisation in spite of the risks this entailed. They got the lands they were fighting for. The mother of four was shot dead outside Sultan Kudarat State University on the morning of 22 August. No one has been arrested over the 34-year-old’s murder.

Annaliza’s husband Reygan described his wife as “brave heart” for her courage to stand and fight for what is right for the landless farmers. The community remembered her as: “She who leads when no one wants to lead, she who talks when no one wants to talk, she who stood with courage to help the agrarian reform beneficiaries to own lands.”

Compiled from reports by The Guardian and Newsline