Urgent Appeal for Action:

STOP THE ALL-OUT WAR AGAINST THE PEOPLE!

STOP THE MILITARIZATION OF INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES!

March 29, 2017

Dear friends,

We are appealing for your urgent action to the militarization of indigenous peoples communities in Abra, Cordillera, North of the Philippines.

Since March 13, 2017, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) have been conducting military combat operations in Malibcong, Abra, which is part of the ancestral domain of the Tingguians belonging to the Mabaka, Banao and Gubang tribes. They say that the operations are in pursuit of members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who raided a police station and ambush against the PNP.

In the conduct of the said operations headed by the 24th Infantry Battalion of the 7th Infantry Division, a number of human rights and international humanitarian law violations were committed against civilians affecting 423 households. Among the reported incidents are:

Indiscriminate aerial bombings – From the morning to the afternoon of March 16, 2017, the Armed Forces of the Philippines conducted airstrikes indiscriminately bombing Barangays Lat-ey and Bangilo, Malibcong, Abra. Fire razed more than 5 hectares of the forest area in sitio Cubcuba and in Alang. Bombs also exploded in the rice fields located in the Dakungaw side, in sitio Cubcuba and in the Uling area, the forest areas of Madengan, and Uling and the pastureland in Uling, Palpalayen and Namnamuk. The residents in the area accounted for around 14 major explosions that shook the municipality throughout the day. There are reports that phosphorous bombs, classified among incendiary weapons, were usedin the airstrikes as was experienced by the municipality in 2013.

Indiscriminate aerial bombings – From the morning to the afternoon of March 16, 2017, the Armed Forces of the Philippines conducted airstrikes indiscriminately bombing Barangays Lat-ey and Bangilo, Malibcong, Abra. Fire razed more than 5 hectares of the forest area in sitio Cubcuba and in Alang. Bombs also exploded in the rice fields located in the Dakungaw side, in sitio Cubcuba and in the Uling area, the forest areas of Madengan, and Uling and the pastureland in Uling, Palpalayen and Namnamuk. The residents in the area accounted for around 14 major explosions that shook the municipality throughout the day. There are reports that phosphorous bombs, classified among incendiary weapons, were usedin the airstrikes as was experienced by the municipality in 2013.

Use of schools for military purposes and encampment within residential areas – On March 18 and 19, 2017, more than a platoon of soldiers of the 24th IBPA occupied the Mataragan National Agricultural School (secondary school) and Malibcong Elementary School and encamped in the nearby residential area endangering the civilians.

Illegal detention of civilians – Four civilians were illegally detained for several hours in the course of the AFP military ground operations including a minor and two women in 2 separate incidents. The minor and youth are members of the local chapter of Anakbayan. They were illegally arrested by soldiers of the 24th IBPA at around 9 am and turned over to the Mayor of Malibcong at around 4 pm. They were forced to hike from Kawad to Barangay Duldulao, a 2-hour hike wherethey were interrogated before their release. On the same day, patrolling police apprehended two women who were walking in Cayapa. Since they were not able to present identification cards, they were accused to be members of the New People’s Army and were detained. They were brought to Bangued and were released on the same day when their village leaders vouched for their identities as civilians.

As of this writing, the military operations are ongoing and violations such as blockade of basic food and other supplies and, threat/harassment/intimidation of civilians by the AFP and PNP continue to be reported by Malibcong residents.

The residents in the area are reeling from the effects of the military operation and are in need of the following:

Food and basic supplies (rice, coffee, sugar, lard, salt, canned goods and fish sauce)

Basic medicines (first aid supplies – paracetamol, mefenamic acid, aluminum/magnesiumhydroxide, captopril 2.5 mg (tab), salbutamol, cloxacillin, amoxicillin, cotrimazole, diphenhydramine, acupuncture needles, elastic bandages, hydrogen peroxide, betadine, alcohol, cotton, gauze, microtape pore, band-aid)

We are planning to conduct a peace mission in Malibcong, Abra to provide immediate relief services, conduct psychosocial debriefing for the residents and also to ensure documentation of human rights and international humanitarian law violations against civilians.

We are appealing for your support in cash or in kind for the residents of Malibcong, Abra.

Donations in cash can be sent through:

Peso Account: Cordillera Human Rights Alliance

Account Number: 000790357518

Banco De Oro, Baguio City

Dollar Account: Cordillera Peoples Alliance

Account Number: 105470156541

Banco De Oro, Baguio City

Dollar Account: Cordillera Peoples AllianceAccount Number: 105470156541Banco De Oro, Baguio CitySWIFT CODE: BNORPHMM

Donations in kind can be brought or sent to:

#55 Middle Ferguson Road, Baguio City

We enjoin you as well to join us and the affected communities and KASTAN-Abra to urge the Philippine government to:

immediately stop the operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and pull out the AFP from the ancestral domain of the Mabaka, Banao and Gubang tribes;

resume the peace talks and urge for the sincere compliance of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Lawthat strongly obligates the protection of the rights of civilians, including holding the State security forces accountable for their human rights and international humanitarian law violations;

Stop the militarization of indigenous communities and pull out AFP troops and paramilitary from our ancestral domains;

Stop the Indiscriminate Aerial Bombings;

Stop the All-Out War;

Continue the peace talks to address the issues of the people. Respect and implement the gains that were made in the three rounds of the peace talk and the agreements that have been signed between the GPH and NDFP;

End counter-insurgency programs like Oplan Bayanihan and Oplan Kapayapaan;

Pursue its commitment for a Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) that will comprehensively tackle the deeply-rooted feudal relations in the country, move towards free land distribution of monopolized landsand the recognition of the rights of national minorities to ancestral lands and territories;

Adhere to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and all the major Human Rights instruments that it is a party and signatory of.

You may send your communications to:
H.E. Rodrigo Duterte
President of the Republic
Malacañang Palace,
JP Laurel St., San Miguel
Manila Philippines
Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80
Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968
E-mail: op@president.gov.ph or send message through http://president.gov.ph/contact-us/

Hon. Jesus Dureza
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process
Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)
7th Floor Agustin Building I
Emerald Avenue
Pasig City 1605
Voice:+63 (2) 636 0701 to 066
Fax:+63 (2) 638 2216
Email: stqd.papp@opapp.gov.ph, feedback@opapp.net

Ret. Maj. Gen. Delfin Lorenzana
Secretary, Department of National Defense
Room 301 DND Building, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo,
E. de los Santos Avenue, Quezon City
Voice:+63(2) 911-6193 / 911-0488 / 982-5600
Fax:+63(2) 982-5600
Email: info@dnd.gov.ph, webmaster@dnd.gov.ph

Hon. Vitaliano Aguirre
Secretary, Department of Justice
Padre Faura St., Manila
Direct Line 521-8344; 5213721
Trunkline: 523-84-81 loc.214
Fax: (+632) 521-1614Email: communications@doj.gov.ph

Hon. Jose Luis Martin Gascon
Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex, Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Voice: (+632) 928-5655, 926-6188
Fax: (+632) 929 0102
Email: chairgascon.chr@gmail.com

Thank you for your support!
Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the above-named government officials.
For more information, contact:

Windel Bolinget
Chairperson
Cordillera Peoples Alliance
Email: cpa@cpaphils.org
Telephone: (63) 74 422 9754

Imelda Tabiando
Secretary General
Cordillera Human Rights Alliance
Email: chra.karapatan@gmail.com

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