Kalumbay denounces latest lumad killing – Government strikes again

Kalumbay Press Statement Re: Latest killing of lumad leader

23 November 2009

[NB – Editorial comment. This is the 12th case of extrajudicial killings among the Lumads (Banwaon, Manobo, and Higaonon) of Northern Mindanao region since January 2009.]

Kalumbay, the regional formation of indigenous peoples’ organization, condemns today in the strongest term possible the killing of another lumad leader on Friday, Nov. 20, and demands government accountability for the unabated killings of progressive lumad leaders in the region with impunity and heedless occurrence.

Datu Alvie Binungkasan, 50 years old of Brgy. Malinao, Gingoog City, was shot and killed in his house while cooking their dinner by two unidentified gunmen believe to be members of Task Force Gantangan (TFG), a newly-formed para military group by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, at about 7 o’clock in the evening on Friday, last week.

Kalumbay holds accountable the military particularly Lt. Col. Criztobal N. Zaragosa who is the commanding officer of the 30th Infantry Battalion based in the area for consenting to the presence and even creation of this so-called Striker Force in these areas led by Abonjo Cablay, alyas Datu Tagbagani, an appointed tribe leader of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

Cablay and his cohorts Bebeng Ibkas, Loloy Cablay, Lolong Cablay, Fredo Henerales and Benjie Binungkasan and a still unidentified person are identified as among those who shot and killed Datu Binungkasan.

Kalumbay also strongly believes that Datu Binungkasan was killed because of his political belief thus this is another case of extra judicial killing perpetuated by no less than the so-called protectors of the people – the Armed Forces of the Philippines, with the blessing of the Arroyo regime.

This is a dastardly act meant to silence the lumad communities in the areas of Gingoog, Misamis Oriental and Agusan del Norte from the planned consolidation of ancestral lands by Cablay under his Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) with partnership and consent of the NCIP.

Seven more months before she leaves office, the Arroyo government stands pat on her abhorrent human rights record just to accommodate the capriciousness of capitalists and greedy investors to lay claim to thousands of ancestral lands.

Kalumbay believes that Cablay is just a pawn of the NCIP and the Arroyo government to perpetuate its evil design to displace the lumads in order to accommodate foreign and local investors to exploit and abuse the forestlands and natural resources found in the ancestral lands of the lumad.

Datu Alvie was a leader of Pig-akuman or Pigbawangan Ku Kumadon Ha Madagway or translated in the Visayan vernacular as “Gibugkos sa Maayong Gawi” a member organization of Kalumbay. He was one of the vocal oppositions to the plan of Cablay and NCIP on his application for CADT that covers the mountains of Gingoog City, Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental and up to the mountains of Carmen, Agusan del Norte.

Kalumbay asserts that the Arroyo government is dense and “baga og nawong” despite the international criticism against her for the rampant killings of activists and progressive organizations since she took office in 2001. Last month the US Congress even withheld support of billions of dollars of aid for her failure to solve the killings which has now reached more than the one thousand mark.

In September, two lumad leaders were killed in less than a month – Datu Mampaagi Belayong and Datu Mansubaybay Badbaran, both anti-mining and anti-logging protagonists who also opposed the presence of fake tribe leaders wanting to claim their ancestral lands. This is already the third killing against members of Kalumbay in less than two months.

Early this month, a Banwaon tribe leader Sangkie Sayasaya, was killed by unidentified bonnet wearing man outside his house. Reports have it that Sayasaya was killed possibly for a different personal reason but Kalumbay believes Sayasaya is part of the bigger design of the government in creating division from among the lumad people and communities. Until now, no one has been convicted of these crimes against the indigenous peoples who have only struggled for their right to self determination and ancestral land.

* Stop the killings of Lumad! * We demand justice to all victims of violence and killings. We hold accountable Gloria Arroyo and her military and para-military troops for Badbaran, Belayong and Binungkasan’s death! * Protect and defend the rights of the Lumad against foreign and local domination! * Uphold our right to self determination and ancestral domain!

For reference:
JOMORITO GOAYNON
Secretary General

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Indigenous People Hit Paramilitary Group

KAMP Press Release

21 November 2009

The indigenous people organization under the Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) raised the bell of alarm over the increased human rights violation of Task Force Gantangan in Mindanao.

In a press conference, the group exposed the grim state of human rights violations done by the military back paramilitary group, TASK FORCE GANTANGAN, against the indigenous people in Mindanao.

According to the Igorot spokesperson of the group, Tyrone Beyer, “the human rights of Lumad in Mindanao has been under siege from the military and paramilitary group since the implementation of the Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL 1,2) and conception of Task Force Gantangan.”

OBL was the present counter-insuregenccy program of the Armed Force of the Philippines. It was widely critized by human rights advocates for the program target legal and unarmed civilian and activist.

“OBL is the reason for the upsurge of human rights violation not only among the ranks of the indigenous sector but as well as other sector. Its the irrational answer of the government and its armed forces to the indigenous people’s legimate assertion of the rights to their land and human rights.”

“OBL blurs the minds of the military and its armed civilian group to identify legal mass organization and unarmed civilian putting the lives of innocent indigenous people and civilian in line danger and possible human rights violation,” Beyer added.

The group likewise assailed the promotion and formation of Task Force Gantangan (TFG). “TFG is the military backed formation of armed indigenous peoples whose creation brings terror and grim to the lives of the indigenous people.”

“Its forcing the indigenous people to join the armed paramilitary group in the name of the so called “tribal unity” but those who refuse to joins the group is harassed and tagged as supporter of revolutionary organization.”

Task Force Gantangan was allegedly the group behind the killing of Datu Maampagi Belayong and Datu Aladino Badbara, both are known indigenous people leaders who were very critical to the human rights violation done by the state armed forces to the indigenous peoples. Up until now there is no clear development to the case of boht leader despite the surfacing of witness to the case.

The group likewise assailed the villification of the indigenous peoples sectoral s only now that the Partylist , KATRIBU, done by the elements of military. The group hit on Col. Eduardo del Rosario, 1003rd IB Commander, for villifying and tagging the partylist as “communist front”. “It is only now that we had seen a partylist of and for the indigenous people and yet they are discrediting the reputation of katribu partylist.” Beyer says.

“With the increase paramilitary activities in our land and the upcoming election of 2010, we are predicting that there will be a spike of human rights violation to the indigenous peoples and unless the government halt its military policy, we can see no ending to the grim state of indigenous people Human right situations.” Beyer added.

Beyer ended press conference in a challenge. “We are calling the Arroyo Government and its rabid armed forces to stop the militarization in the lumad communities and start to respect the human rights of the indigenous peoples. #####

For Reference: Tyrone Beyer, KAMP Spokesperson, (02)4138543