Latest news with #Lumad
GMA Network
15-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Lawmaker asks CA to junk Castro, Ocampo conviction over rescue of IP children
ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro and former Bayan Muna representative Satur Ocampo tell reporters on July 15, 2024, that they will appeal their conviction by a court in Tagum, Davao del Norte. TINA PANGANIBAN-PEREZ/GMA Integrated News Returning ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio has called on the Court of Appeals to reverse the child endangerment conviction of former ACT Teachers congresswoman France Castro, ex-Bayan Muna party-list congressman Satur Ocampo, and 11 others in connection with the 2018 humanitarian mission to rescue Lumad students from a paramilitary group. In 2024 the Tagum, Davao del Norte Regional Trial Court found the group, collectively known as Talaingod 13, guilty of violating Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. They were sentenced to be imprisoned from four years to six years. The case is under appeal. 'One year of injustice is one year too long. Former lawmakers France Castro, Satur Ocampo, and their companions are not criminals. They are heroes who risked their own safety to rescue Lumad children from the terror of state-backed paramilitary groups,' Tinio said. 'Their only 'crime' was to defend the right to education and life. Teacher France, Ka Satur, and the rest of the Talaingod 13 came to the aid of Lumad students and teachers whose lives and safety were threatened. For the court to rule that they endangered children while doing so is a gross miscarriage of justice. We demand that the Court of Appeals to immediately reverse the conviction,' he added. Tinio said that the case stemmed from a 2018 National Solidarity Mission which was held in response to the state-backed closure of Salugpungan school, a school for Lumad students, in Talaingod, Davao del Norte wherein the lives of students and children are being threatened. "Gawa-gawa at malisyoso ang kasong ito mula pa sa simula. Ito ay paraan ng nakaraang Duterte administration para takutin ang sinumang tumutulong sa mga Lumad na ipagtanggol ang kanilang lupang ninuno at karapatan sa edukasyon," Tinio stressed. (These are trumped up and malicious raps. It was a ploy of the Duterte administration to strike fear in those who were helping the Lumad communities in fighting for their right to education.) "Hindi dapat pinarurusahan ang pagiging makabayan at makatao,' he added. (We should not punish a person for being patriotic and humane.) Tinio said prosecutors should file charges against those who are threatening the Lumad community and forcing to shutdown the Salugpungan school, including former president Rodrigo Duterte himself, who threatened to bomb Lumad schools in July 2017 for supposedly teaching subversion and communism. "I will use the Armed Forces, the Philippine Air Force. Talagang bobombahan ko 'yung mga… lahat ng ano ninyo. Because you are operating illegally and you are teaching the children to rebel against government. May kalokohan kayo, eh di mas lalo na ako," Duterte said at the time. Four days after making the threat, he walked back his words and insisted he did not issue a kill order. 'Duterte deserves to stand before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity not just for the thousands of killings he ordered in the name of his fake war on drugs, for which he is currently on trial, but also for war against the Lumad schools and communities that likewise led to gross human rights violations,' Tinio said. 'Justice for the Talaingod 13 is a step towards justice for all victims of state terror," he added. — BM, GMA Integrated News
Scoop
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Voices Of Power: Regional Exchange And Solidarity Building In Defense Of Indigenous Peoples Rights
In building unity and support for Indigenous women paralegals and rights defenders, IPMSDL gathered Indigenous women partners and members from the Philippines, Northeast India, Bangladesh, West Papua, Burma and Borneo last June 20, 2024 for the 'Voices of Power: Regional Exchange and Solidarity Building in Defense of Indigenous Peoples Rights' in Penang, Malaysia. The regional gathering was one of the side-events during the two-day International Festival for Peoples Rights & Struggles that brought together hundreds of attendees from people's movements from around the world. The regional activity followed a series of online discussions, local para-legal training, rights and anti–judicial harassment campaigning led by Indigenous women. 'We gather to hear the lived experiences and challenges faced by communities and the different but common struggles on Indigenous women and Indigenous Peoples against criminalization due to their defense of their rights, lands and territories,' said Paul Belisario, IPMSDL global coordinator. Opening the event was a traditional prayer and ritual by Indigenous Dayak from Sabah, asking for the ancestors and spirits to bless and guide everyone. Ananya Chakma shared the experiences of Bangladesh's Jumma peoples displaced from the militarized Chittagong Hill Tracts under the guise of development projects. 'In order to occupy the land of Indigenous Peoples, they always target women, children and their families, threatening their lives and safety,' she said. From Manipur, Sorokhaibam Panthoi Chanu and Kiranmala Laishram exposed the brutality following India's military forces using extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, and a militarization. Under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) which legalized attacks and perpetuated impunity among our women suffer the most,' they stressed, urging the repeal of AFSPA and respect for Indigenous autonomy. Naw Paw Pree from Burma presented accounts of airstrikes on schools and churches, including the March 2024 bombing in Doo Tha Htoo, northern part of Mon State, Burma. 'End military dictatorship and ethnic chauvinism,' she contended. Meanwhile, Filipina activist Mae Fe Ancheta-Templa uplifted the role of Lumad women in Mindanao, portraying them as educators, warriors, and healers despite the continuous militarization and ancestral land theft. Her rallying cry—'Kamalitanan, maghiusa!'—then called for unity amid struggle. Her speech was seconded by Eufemia Cullamat, which emphasized that Lumad women, especially those choosing the road for liberation and revolutionary struggle, have always been sacrificing their lives and becoming martyrs. Sayang Mandabayan of West Papua condemned Indonesia's transmigration program for eroding Papuan identity, capturing their lands and criminalizing and imprisoning Indigenous activists for self-determination. These became a huge toll to women and children left in refugee camps and forcibly removed from their communities. A survivor of political imprisonment, she reminded the world that West Papua bleeds behind silence but they will not disappear. Common in the sharing was the heavy militarization linked to development projects and land grabbing by government and corporate interests. Each also shared how the paralegal training project, network building, sharing of stories and rights campaigning offered overall education and learning, awareness raising and capacity building in terms of IP women rights, IP rights, and immediate paralegal and legal knowledge necessary for IP women to identify steps in protecting themselves, their communities, organizations and families. The event also cemented and initiated the ground work on how Indigenous women from different places can support one another, exchange experiences and meaningful experiences to challenge any attacks and rights violations. Giving solidarity and support, Datuk Dr. Haji Sangkar Rasam, Chairman of Felcra Niaga Sdn Bhd and Head Branch of Peoples Justice Party Keningau, also extended inspirational message and stories of Indigenous Peoples persistence to push for their welfare and own development. In Penang, the affirmation that there is still a lot of work needed to be done for all Indigenous women and Indigenous Peoples further emphasized the key role of solidarity building between and among Indigenous women and communities. The actions and steps to safeguard ancestral lands, the safety and protection of communities and leaders, and the strengthening of local struggles to realize a self–determined future is a step by step journey. And with these regional exchange, bold strides are now being led by brave Indigenous women. The event is made possibe with the support from FIMI-AYNI, The Christensen Fund and Possible Futures.
