In a press conference last April 10, 2025, Bukidnon Police Provincial Office presented Alde “Butsoy” Salusad as a “surrendered NPA leader.” However, indigenous peoples in Mindanao know that Salusad is from the New Indigenous People’s Army for Reform (NIPAR), a paramilitary group known for sowing terror and perpetrating criminal activities in Lumad communities.
NIPAR is being trained and funded by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. As early as 2012, Salusad was reported to be responsible for the killing of anti-mining advocates Datu Jimmy Liguyon, Abundio Mantugohon, Datu Erning Mantugohon, Mabini “Toto” Manobia, Zaldy Ambayot and six-month pregnant Makenet Gayoran.
“Salusad is nothing but a criminal monster created by the military. He must be held accountable for all his crimes against the Lumad people. His fake surrender is obviously a staged publicity stunt by mercenaries from the AFP and the likes of Salusad to milk the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) or the government’s amnesty reward program for alleged rebels,” said Cristina Palabay, Karapatan Secretary General.
In 2024, DILG Region 10 announced that 74 former communist rebels in Bukidnon received a total of Php 4.8 million as part of the E-CLIP. KARAPATAN noted reports of red-tagging and forced surrenders since E-CLIP was implemented.
“The huge amount of money used as reward by the government to alleged rebels could have been rechanelled to public services. Obviously, this reward system is being run by syndicates in government as a money-making venture,” added Palabay.
In recent years, KARAPATAN documented cases of illegal arrest and detention of civilians through the DND-DILG Joint Order on Reward where photographs of alleged communist-terrorist personalities with millions of pesos of bounties on their heads were printed and posted in public places nationwide. The latest victim of this scheme is 81-year old retired technician Prudencio Cebu Calubid Jr. who was arrested on December 7, 2024 in Olongapo City. He was falsely presented as Prudencio Calubid who has a Php 7.8 million bounty.
“Salusad must be prosecuted and the government should stop using the E-CLIP as a tool to further violate rights. We urge the Commission on Human Rights to investigate the E-CLIP and the reward system, which have been used to target and victimize innocent civilians,” ended Palabay.