The decision of the Davao del Norte Regional Trial Court Branch 2 wrongfully convicting us, the eight teachers of the Salugpungan Ta ‘Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center and the Community Technical College of Southeastern Mindanao, and two from the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, is unacceptable and unjust.
This wrongful conviction speaks of the continuing persecution of those who are helping and advocating for the rights of Lumad children and the persistent attacks on Lumad schools and communities.
The decision ignored the testimonies regarding the continued harassment of the Lumad schools by military and paramilitary forces and the danger that the students faced. Even the prosecution’s own witnesses testified that it was out of fear that the teachers decided to leave the community to a safer area. The justification for the supposed presence of conspiracy has no basis. Our mere presence in the highway where we met the teachers and the children is insufficient to establish conspiracy.
The persons who are actually responsible for the forcible closure of the schools as well as the threats and harassment have never been investigated.
This is a clear miscarriage of justice, and we will strongly question this decision in all venues possible.
We remain steadfast in our support for the indigenous schools and communities who continue to bear the brunt of the fascist attacks by the Marcos regime. We persist in our call that those who ordered and orchestrated the attacks against the Lumad schools, specifically former President Rodrigo Duterte and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), and endangered the lives of indigenous children must be brought to justice.
Former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo
ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro