"The whitewash, cover up and lies of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines, Malacañang and the Commission of Human Rights (CHR) on the
recruitment of Lumad in the military and Civilian Armed Force Geographical Unit
(CAFGU), nevermind if they are conflicting, are directed to one thing—to shield
the BS Aquino government from accountability on the Lumad killings," Karapatan
Secretary General Cristina Palabay said.
"The whitewash, cover up and lies of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines, Malacañang and the Commission of Human Rights (CHR) on the
recruitment of Lumad in the military and Civilian Armed Force Geographical Unit
(CAFGU), nevermind if they are conflicting, are directed to one thing—to shield
the BS Aquino government from accountability on the Lumad killings," Karapatan
Secretary General Cristina Palabay said.
Palabay explained, “the CHR deliberately turned a blind eye on the
real issue of the Lumad—that they are
targets of the Philippine government’s counterinsurgency program Oplan
Bayanihan, which resulted in the extrajucidial killings, forced evacuations,
and attacks on schools, among others.”
"The CHR’s assertion that the perpetrators of rights
violations are both the state and non-state actors washes off the regime’s accountability for the widespread
violations among the Lumad. Remember, it is the Philippine Army troops and its
paramilitary which caused thousands of Lumad to evacuate their homes because of
the killings, bombardment of communities and forced recruitment into the
paramilitary groups," she added.
"Malacañang, through its spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, also
dished out another lie by saying the AFP is not recruiting Lumad. “The Palace
was actually being careful not to implicate the Commander-in-Chief in the
series of human rights violations against the Lumad through Oplan Bayanihan, a
program steered and implemented by the Cabinet Cluster on Security, Justice and
Peace and the AFP," Palabay said.
"The AFP, feigning innocence for the nth time while contradicting
the Palace, admitted otherwise. Using the ‘equal opportunity’ card, the AFP admitted
recruiting Lumad, but was quick to deny any involvement in the killings. What
the AFP didn’t admit is the forcible recruitment of Lumad into the AFP-backed paramilitary
groups and in the Barangay Defense System, appropriating unto itself the
‘traditional Lumad defense system’ and bastardizing the very concept of it,”
she stated.
At the plenary
deliberations on the proposed national budget at the House of Representatives
on October, the Department of National Defense admitted that more than half of
the CAFGU or about 30,735 are in Mindanao. Karapatan said many of these CAFGU
are recruited, forcibly or with promises of privileges, by the AFP.
Karapatan cited the cases of forced recruitment in Talaingod,
Davao del Norte. On March 8, five members of Alamara and 30 soldiers of 68th
Infantry Battalion interrogated and accused 30 year old Datu Sumpo Taosan of
being a commander of the NPA. They told him to surrender and to join the Alamara
paramilitary group or his tribe will be hunted down. On the same day, more than
20 armed men from the 68th IBPA arrived in Sitio Nasilaban, Brgy. Palma Gil,
Talaingod and summoned Awing Apoga for questioning. A certain ‘Cabagnan’ told
him to join the Alamara and to persuade his father Datu Guibang to surrender.
Datu Gibang is a staunch defender of the tribe’s ancestral lands. Awing
politely declined. After the incident, Awing joined the hundreds of
Talaingod residents who evacuated to Davao City.
Also in Brgy. White Culaman, Kitaotao, Bukidnon, Brgy. Captain
Felipe Cabugnason, acting on orders of the military, summoned all male
residents in his community on September 7. The male residents were forcibly recruited
into the Barangay Defense System and were compelled to serve as night guards
for the 8th and 23rd IB encamped at the barangay hall supposedly to repel ‘NPA
attacks’. Despite the residents’ opposition—saying they do not want to become
pawns against the NPA—the military insisted.The military argued that those who
will miss their duty as guards will be considered NPA members and will face
arrest. The residents were also instructed to collect among those on duty Php 5
for coffee.
""We don’t have to ask which of these government agency is
the better liar. It is obvious, all the deception, excuses and lies are to
protect the State security forces responsible for the rights violations and Aquino
as the Commander-in-Chief," Palabay said.
Karapatan reiterated its support for the Lumad’s call to pull out
army troops from indigenous people’s communities and disband paramilitary
groups. ###