The Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA) condemns in strongest possible terms the April 27 dastardly assassination of Florita “Nang Flor” Caya (58), General Manager of a local indigenous peoples’ organization (UTCEL) and Vice-President of a national rural peasant women organization (LAKAMBINI) affiliated to PAKISAMA Confederation. According to police autopsy/investigation, at 7 PM of April 27, 2011, while tending her store at the poblacion of Monkayo, Compostela Valley, Florita “Nang Flor” Caya (58) was shot at the back of her head. Her face just below the right eye was blown away. Witnesses saw a man hurriedly walking away from the store and quickly riding at the back of a motorcycle driven by another man.

Nang Flor was a newly-elected general manager of Unified Tribal Council of Elders and Leaders (UTCEL), a group of indigenous peoples (Mandaya, Manobo, Mangguangan & Dibabawon) awarded in 2004 by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title covering 30,468 hectares in 14 barangays of Monkayo, Compostela Valley.

“This is too much! Why Nang Flor!” exclaimed Vicente Fabe, Chairperson of PAKISAMA, a national peasant confederation with presence in 42 provinces in the country. Nang Flor is the third national leader of PAKISAMA, all hailing from Mindanao, gunned down by assassins in a span of two and a half years. Vicente Paglinawan (November 22, 2008) from Davao City and Renato Penas (July 5, 2009) from Sumilao, Bukidnon were assassinated in their respective villages at the height of a campaign for the passage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER) law.  Until now, their killers have not been brought to justice.

PAKISAMA is looking at three possible angles on the case:  1) the presence of a rival tribal organization asserting control of the CADT Management, 2) the planned entry of mining companies/interests in the area, and 3) the possible connection between these interests and the rival tribe.

Nang Flor’s base organization, Unified Tribal Council of Elders and Leaders (UTCEL), is the one officially recognized by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the local government units (LGUs) as the legitimate claimant organization to the awarded CADT area. Nang Flor was the 3rd general manager of UTCEL to be killed by unidentified persons in a span of two years.  Florelio Andresan was ambushed  on July 2009 and Carlito Chavez was gunned down on August 17,  2010.  A month ago, all the barangay tribal council chiefs covered by the CADT elected her to replace Carlito.  It was learned that since her election, someone was knocking at Nang Flor’s house every night.  That was why she decided not to sleep anymore in the village but at the poblacion (town proper).

It was said that the UTCEL leaders have received threats for sometime already:  to stop their activities otherwise they would all be liquidated. With the latest killing of Nang Flor, her colleagues are now gripped by fear, believing the threat as real.  The second angle involving their CADT is the planned entry of mining companies/interests in the area. UTCEL’s stand is a firm NO to mining. The third possibility asks the question, could there be a direct relation and mutual interest between the rival tribal group and the miners?

PAKISAMA calls on the Aquino Government to conduct a speedy, thorough and impartial investigation on the case and to bring to justice the perpetrators of this dastardly act.

PAKISAMA Statement Condemning the Assassination of Another PAKISAMA Leader, Florita “Nang Flor” Caya
by Raul Socrates C. Banzuela on Friday, April 29, 2011 at 3:11am
(Contact: soc banzuela,434 2079)