Press Release
August 13, 2004


Tribal leaders file rap charges against the GRP to the Joint Monitoring Committee, name AFP and DENR as main aggressors; supports move to block Palparan’s promotion

Despite the delay of the pursuance of the peace negotiations, tribal leaders from the Igorot, Mangyan, Dumagat, Palawan tribes of Luzon, Tumanduk tribe of Visayas, and the Manobo, Subanen, and B’laan tribes of Mindanao line up today at the JMC Secretariat to lodge formal complaints against government troops and agencies and to prompt the speedy investigation of human rights violation cases, including cases on land grabbing committed against the indigenous peoples.

“Cases of human rights violations against indigenous peoples are alarmingly escalating in number and in gravity. Justice has been continuously denied us by the current justice system of the state— our people are slain, massacred, summarily executed by the state’s own military forces; our lands are being taken away and our people are displaced through the state’s own policies and laws. We are hopeful though that through the Joint Monitoring Committee, investigations will lead to the meting out of due retribution to the aggressors, whether they be the state’s own people,” expressed Tony Calbayog, Southern Tagalog Spokesperson of Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP).

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), its paramilitary groups and CAFGU volunteers are the aggressors mainly identified by the leaders as perpetrators of HRV’s in their communities.

Bai Bibiyaon Ligkay Bigkayan, a woman datu of the Talaandig tribe of Davao Del Norte filed a complaint against the Alamara, a notorious paramilitary group operating in Davao del Norte and is said to be armed by the 73rd IB, 72nd IB, 60 IB and is being openly supported by Governor Gil Palma of Davao Del Norte.

“Alamara men forcibly went into my house and searched for something we don’t know. They sexually harassed my niece. They accused us of supporting the NPA and threatened me that they will come back to kill me if I continue supporting the NPA. Many other Talaandig women have been harassed by the Alamara. Although we sought for help from the Commission on Human Rights, they simply ignored us claiming we have no proof,” Bai said in a statement.

The tribal leaders also raised strong dissent against the AFP for its continuing forced recruitment of indigenous peoples into the CAFGU. Datu Intub, of a Manobo tribe in Brgy San Juan in Caraga, Mindanao filed complaints of being coerced by the AFP to join the CAFGU. This is on top of the worst documented cases such as summary execution, abduction, food blockade and using of civilians as military guides during its operations. These they claim are gross violations of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL), the first substantive agreement of the peace talks between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP).

The indigenous leaders also expressed support to Bayan Muna’s moves to block the promotion of Col. Jovito Palparan into a 2-star General.

“The apparent promotion of Jovito Palparan to the 3rd highest post in the Army glaringly manifests the government’s insensitivity to the many people who fell victim to Palparan’s reign of terror in Mindoro island,” said Tony Calbayog. The Mangyan leader who hails from Mindoro where Palparan is being accused of a string of human rights violations also said that all those stars Palparan wears on his uniform are drenched with blood of innocent people.

“The promotion is a shameless act by the government. It sends shivers to the spine of people whose only crime is the quest for justice and social good. It virtually gives the go-signal to all cold-blooded killers-in-uniform to continue with their killing spree, with promotion as their prize,” added Tony Calbayog.

Cases on land grabbing committed by different LGU’s and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) were also filed. Most of these cases were about those forcibly displaced due to mining or dam construction. Lepanto Mining Corporation in Cordillera, the Mindex Mining in Mindoro and Western Mining Corporation in Sultan Kudarat top the list of the accused. The leaders say these companies encroached in their ancestral lands, displaced thousands of their people and dispossessed them of their lands.

The filing to the JMC Secretariat is one of the events of Sandugo Solidarity Festival, a two-week nationally-coordinated actions of different indigenous groups in the Philippines in line with the 20th year commemorating national solidarity of indigenous peoples of the country. The event also coincides with the final month of the United Nations declaration of Decade of the World’s
Indigenous Populations. From the JMC offices, the indigenous groups will proceed to Quezon Memorial Circle (QCMC) where they will hold a camp-out and conference to define future coordination and actions. On August 16, the group, under their federation Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) will proceed to Malacanang to protest what they allege as the government’s continuing policy of national oppression on its indigenous peoples.###

Reference: Mr. Nonoy Gobrin
Contact number: 09192423533
KALIPUNAN NG MGA KATUTUBONG MAMAMAYAN NG PILIPINAS (KAMP)
48 Mapagbigay St., Brgy. Pinyahan, Quezon City
63 2 433 7025 / 921 4641
kamp@pilnet.com