Filipino Climate Survivor Frank Marba Testifies Against TotalEnergies in French Court
Frank Nicol Melgar Marba, a teacher and public servant from the storm-prone Dinagat Islands, Philippines, made a historic appearance in a French court on Friday. As the sole Filipino plaintiff in a transnational lawsuit against TotalEnergies, Marba’s testimony underscored the global need for climate justice and accountability from fossil fuel companies.
Marba testified at the Le Havre Judicial Court, where 12 activists and scientists face trial for protesting a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal developed by TotalEnergies. The activists are being charged with obstruction of traffic after blocking a key canal gate in the French port city to denounce the project, which they argue deepens France’s reliance on fossil fuels.
His experience motivated him to join seven global plaintiffs in suing TotalEnergies for “deliberately endangering lives, neglecting to address a disaster, and damaging biodiversity.” He emphasized the long-standing knowledge fossil fuel companies had about their role in causing global warming and questioned why such projects are still allowed to proceed.
Greenpeace Philippines Climate Justice Campaigner Virginia Benosa-Llorin praised Marba’s courage. “Frank doesn’t just provide a much-needed perspective from one of the most vulnerable nations. He shows us how to be courageous for the climate, even against influential carbon majors,” she said.
Benosa-Llorin urged the Philippine government to support Marba’s cause by enacting stronger climate accountability laws. She called for President Marcos Jr. to certify the Climate Accountability (CLIMA) Bill as urgent, saying, “This bill will create mechanisms for us to hold climate polluters accountable, just as Frank is doing in France.”
Marba’s testimony highlights the global climate crisis and the urgent need for collective action to hold major polluters accountable for their environmental and social impacts.