Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Who’s killing the Lumads?



NOT the government, for sure.  Because,  to follow the logic of President Benigno Aquino III in a forum last September 9, the government has “no campaign to kill anybody.”  Disputably, though, this maybe the same logic that can be applied to the massacre of Chinese tourists at the Quirino Grandstand in August 2010 when the new Malacañang boys were running the show.  That was why, the leadership did not see the need to apologize, despite foreign pressure.  And,  by some stretch of imagination, the same logic maybe used in the Zamboanga siege in September of 2013 when the president with his boys encamped “to watch” the war games with the MNLF.  Well, perhaps at the Mamasapano, too, where some sectors are reportedly now looking for “alternative truth”.

            According to human rights groups, it appeared that the President was trying to exonerate whoever are behind the summary killings of the Lumads in Surigao del Sur.  The CBCP president Archbishop Socrates Villegas calls this “disturbing.”   In a statement released September 11, the Archbishop said, “We are disturbed profoundly by reports that national leaders have been quick to exonerate the militia group of wrong-doing.  This alarming eagerness to deny culpability does not augur well for truth and justice.  Such declarations inspire credence only after a reliable and trustworthy investigation by impartial and competent persons shall have taken place.  If made before any such investigation, they disturbingly suggest a refusal to hold accountable those to whom the Administration so eagerly extends its mantle of protection.”

            But while the national leadership seems to be somewhere else, local leaders and advocacy groups are very much aware who are harassing and killing the Lumads.  In fact, on January 30, 2015, a “Peace Dialogue” was held in Surigao del Sur attended by the PNP, AFP, the Provincial Government, the LGU of Lianga, Religious groups and the Lumad leaders.  In that dialogue, the perpetrators were identified.  They are members of the Magahat/Bagani, a paramilitary group headed by Datu Calpito Egua, Marcos Bocales, Marcial Belandres and Bobby Tejero.   This gathering agreed to immediately dismantle and disarm this paramilitary group and file criminal charges.   Of course, nothing happened after that except more harassment and more killings of the Lumads.

            The priests of the Diocese of Tandag in a pastoral statement issued on September 8, believe that there are powerful hands that maneuver behind the paramilitary group Magahat/Bagani.  Otherwise, these killings have already ceased and court cases filed months ago.  The priests say in their statement, “One can see and understand that only those community of Lumads who firmly stand to protect the forest and reject mining activities and anything that destroys nature were obviously the ones being hounded and intimidated supposedly by the aforementioned notorious group.  Gathering all these, we can say that all this could be a work that has been extensively planned.  Our indigenous people who, ever since, have been one with Nature, have lived in and survived out of their land of heritage, are now victims of those who are hungry and greedy for power and wealth.”

            Again, who are behind the killings the Lumads?  Sadly, it’s not so easy to take President Aquino’s word for it.

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