This paper examines the increasing repression and the shrinking of civic spaces within peasant communities in Cebu and Bohol, Philippines. Through the lens of militant politics, the study explores how rural grassroots organizations and farmers’ movements negotiate survival amidst heightened state surveillance, "red-tagging," and the militarization of the countryside. Utilizing qualitative interviews and field observations, the author documents the transition from open, democratic participation to clandestine or restricted forms of mobilization as a response to perceived threats from state security forces. The research highlights the tension between the peasants' struggle for land rights and the state's counter-insurgency framework, which often equates legitimate social activism with armed rebellion. Ultimately, the paper argues that the narrowing of civic space not only undermines local democratic practice but also exacerbates the vulnerability of marginalized rural populations in Central Visayas.