Justice still being sought for Tumandok killings

By Joshua Tristan Montecillo

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After almost three months, calls for justice were still being sought by concerned organizations and lawmakers on the extrajudicial killings of individuals in the indigenous communities on Panay Island.

The Friends of The Earth Asia Pacific (FoE APac) condemned last March 12 the killings of the indigenous leaders, demanding that the Philippine government investigate the case further.

According to the FoE APac, the massacre is a tragic mark to the struggle of the Tumandok indigenous people against the Jalaur River mega dam project.

Human rights lawyer Angelo Karlo Guille, who was in charge of handling the case of the 17 arrested Tumandok villagers, was stabbed in Iloilo last March 3.

According to NUPL Vice President for Visayas Rene Estopacio, the assailants were two unidentified men that stabbed Guillen in the head and shoulder.

The unidentified assailants also stole his bag as well as his laptop, which contained data on cases that he was handling.

The NUPL also made a statement calling on authorities to promptly investigate the attempt on the life of the lawyer in a post on their Facebook page last March 4.

Also, on March 9, eight lawmakers called for a "congressional probe" on the matter of Guillen's stabbing.

House Resolution (HR) No. 1639 was filed which urged the House committee on human rights to investigate the attack further.

“The brutal attack on Attorney Guillen, as well as other attacks and killings of lawyers, prosecutors, and judges, are attacks also to all rights defenders and to the legal profession, which demands a thorough and impartial investigation that should be conducted posthaste,” said the lawmakers according to Rappler.

The Makabayan bloc wanted to investigate the killings of the Tumandok 9 last Jan. 3.

The lawmakers filed House Resolution No. 1449 that urges the House of Representatives to investigate the operation along with the arrest of the other 17 Tumandoks.

The house resolution was filed by Bayan Muna Reps. Eufemia Cullamat, Gabriela Womens Rep. Arlene Brosas, Carlos Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, and Kabataan Rep. Sarah Jane Elago, according to a report by The Inquirer.

Last Dec. 30, 2020, forces from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) invaded multiple Tumandok villages serving false warrants.

Eyewitness accounts have stated that the officers shot the villagers after dragging them out of their homes. Nine Tumandok members were killed, while 17 were arrested.

The Tumandok members who were killed were later confirmed to be indigenous community leaders in various barangays.

Human rights group Panay Alliance Karapatan stated that the now-deceased Tumandok villagers were civilians and were not armed.

“Those killed were recognized indigenous community leaders in their respective barangays. They were civilians and not armed combatants. They have consistently opposed militarization and human rights violations in their communities as they upheld their rights as indigenous people,” the group said according to Rappler.

Karapatan also claimed that the indigenous people (IP) who were killed were red-tagged and accused of supporting the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

“This mass killings and arrests of indigenous peoples in Panay, in the middle of a pandemic no less, is highly condemnable and has no place in society. The brazen killing of the poor and marginalized indigenous peoples is an indicator of the state of human rights in the country as well as the raging impunity that seems to reign over our land,” the measure read.

Among those killed were Roy Giganto, TUMANDUK chairperson and Barangay Lahug councilor, co-councilors Reynaldo Katipunan and Mario Aguirre.

Other victims include Eliseo Gayas of Barangay Aglinab, Mauro Diaz of Barangay Tacayan, and Artilito Katipunan of Barangay Acuna, Arcelito Katipunan of barangay Acuña, Jomer Vidal of barangay Daan Sur, Tapaz, and Dalson Catamin of Nayawan.

Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) stated that the operation took place based on information from civilians on the presence of personalities with high-powered firearms.

PRO-6 added that this was a standard law enforcement activity that aims to reduce the spread of firearms and other types of explosives.

The incident was criticized by House Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate, recalling a similar situation 2 years prior.

“This is the same modus operandi used by state forces in Negros Oriental on the December 27, 2018, early morning raids, when now-PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas was the regional commander of the Central Visayas PNP,” Zarate said in a quote from Rappler.

"Just like in Negros then, the identified victims were known leaders in their respective barangays and people's organizations. Due to their strong resistance against destructive projects and their continuous fight for IP rights, they have been red-tagged by security forces and Jeffrey Celis as a front organization of the CPP-NPA," he added.