Church, solon outraged by ambush of tribal leader and his family
Gov’t talks on peace, while indigenous peoples are killed

Church leaders and a solon joined human rights and environmental groups calling on the government for immediate action on the murder of three innocent civilians in an ambush raid at the farm house of B’laan tribe leader Daguil Capion yesterday morning.

The diocese of Marbel through the Social Action Center condemned the brutal killing of the innocent and call for an immediate investigation to the concerned agencies of the government.

Several anti-mining advocates in Mindanao have been killed in the past decade since the South Cotabato gold-copper reserve entered the area with its exploration activities. .

The CBCP Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples (ECIP) demanded justice for the family of Capion. Mr. Tony Abuso, from the National Secretariat of ECIP stated that “We want the perpetrators investigated and justice be given to Daguil and all lumads of Mindanao who now fear for their lives—because of the position they take against mining.”

Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilat also aired his serious concern about this killing. “I am saddened and outraged with this killings. I call on the national government to use all its resources and exhaust all possible means to bring justice to my B’laan indigenous brothers and sisters.“

Baguilat, an Ifugao is the Chairperon of the House Committee on National Cultural Communities (IPs). He also lamented that he expected more immediate action from agencies such as the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). “I also expect the AFP to be defenders of the oppressed, especially the IPs, and not protect the interests of a mining company.”

Baguilat also called on the DoJ and the PNP to immediately conclude its investigations and arrest and prosecute and bring justice to the victims. He also appealed to President Aquino to give special instructions to government agencies to prioritize this incident in particular, and the plight of IPs, in general.

The IP Representative also promised to conduct Congressional hearings and investigations on the state of indigenous peoples and the recent series of violence in ancestral domains. He added that he will now explore seeking support and assistance from international bodies such as the United Nations to send special rapporteurs to take a deeper look in the situations of indigneous peoples in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, the growing number of killings under the Aquino administration alarms Fr. Edu Gariguez, CBCP-NASSA executive secretary. He said: “This is very alarming and disturbing that while the national government signs a framework agreement on peace with the Bangsamoros of Mindanao, people on the other side of the south are killed by government arms themselves.”

Reports yesterday said that 27th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army admitted, to attack Daguil who was at the vicinity preparing for corn and potato planting, who since 2010 has been suspect of killing soldiers in an encounter.

Similarly, AlyansaTigil Mina and human rights groups here are awaiting the official statement of the Philippine Army and the Commission on Human Rights on the crime against indigenous communities.

“We urge the Commission on Human Rights to immediately act on this—the issue of militarization and human rights violations has been raised to the office here and at the local but we still await their investigation” ATM national coordinator Jaybee Garganera said.

He added: “We were unofficially informed that the CHR intends to conduct an investigation, but without a definite schedule yet. What we know is that the ambush-raid was admitted to by a Philippine Army Infantry Battalion chief, instantly killing a family.”

ATM also rejected the claim of Col. Bravo from the 27th Infantry Battalion, that this incident was an encounter with armed NPA rebels. “Assuming that there was an exchange of fire, there must have been a failure of intelligence, as women and children were killed unexplainably,” Garganera concluded.

AlyansaTigil Mina is an alliance of mining-affected communities and their support groups of NGOs/POs and other civil society organizations who are opposing the aggressive promotion of large-scale mining in the Philippines. The alliance is currently pushing for a moratorium on mining, revocation of Executive Order 270-A, repeal of the Mining Act of 1995 and passage of the AMMB. (30)

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For more information:
Jaybee Garganera, ATM National Coordinator, nc@alyansatigilmina.net, 0927-7617602
Tony Abuso, CBCP-ECIP Coordinator, +632 5274062; 5274155
Fr Edu Gariguez, CBCP-NASSA Executive Secretary, 0922-8348248
Farah Sevilla, Policy Research and Advocacy Officer, policy@alyansatigilmina.net, 0915-3313361

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