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.
No comments:
Post a Comment