Lumad, farmer leaders decry army’s murder charges, cries persecution related to the May polls

PRESS RELEASE | February 19, 2010 | Davao City --- Katribu Partylist together with local farmers’ organizations in Davao Del Sur condemned  the filing of frustrated murder case against its leaders and members by the 39th Infantry Battalion and  the 72nd IB at the Sta. Cruz Police department.

In the affidavit of complaint, Corporal Bert Ulao of the 39th IB and Antonio Omo Tongon of the CAFGU  unit belonging to the 72nd IB  accused seven lumad and peasant leaders and community health workers as  “companions” of NPA members who staged an ambush last January 21 at Brgy. Coronon, Sta. Cruz, Davao Del  Sur.

The military accused Gina Bernardo, Edgardo Piadopo, Pasing Lopez, Lino Lumana, Amy Elio, Cording  Elacion and Benjie Paldas to be collecting revolutionary taxes during  that incident.

“We strongly condemn the systematic and state-perpetrated political persecution of leaders and members  belonging to the democratic and legitimate peoples’ partylists and organizations. While Katribu seeks to  represent the discriminated sector of the indigenous peoples in congress, the military is desperate to  disenfranchise us further of our right and opportunity to have a voice in congress,” decried Amy Elio,  coordinator of Katribu Partylist and is one of the seven leaders charged of frustrated murder. 

He added, “These trumped – up charges against us is patterned after Oplan Bantay Laya 2, the brainchild  of Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales which has resulted to the massive militarization of lumad  communities, the displacement of our people and the killing of lumad and farmer leaders. Worst, OBL has  used lumads as pawns of its proxy wars, pitting us against each other, for the sake of the Arroyo  government’s maligned path towards peace and development.”  

Stating the background and affiliations of the accused, Katribu firmly denied the charges of the  military and said they were members of legitimate peoples’ organizations PASAKA, KATRIBU, United Farmers  Association of Sta. Cruz (UFASA), Fatulangon Farmers’ Association (FATUFA), and Urban Integrated Health  Services Foundation Incorporated (UIHSFI).

Amy Elio himself is a doctor of veterinary medicine, a native of Sta. Cruz Davao Del Sur and a  courageous Bagobo leader who has participated and led various people’s campaigns such as the opposition  to the Mt. Apo Geothermal Power Plant back in the 1980’s, and in the current campaign against the  construction of Sibulan Hydropower Plant by HEDCOR – Aboitiz.

His active leadership in the KATRIBU campaigns in Davao Del Sur is seen to be the military’s prime  motive in including him in the “fabricated” case.

“Red-tagging has always been part of the military’s demonization schemes against progressive partylists  and affiliated organizations. As the May 10 nears, the military is desperate to thwart the looming  victory of organizations which seeks to end the corrupt and inhumane rule of the Arroyo administration,”  said Elio.

To date, the army’s complaint is awaiting the decision of Fiscal Cabardo of Sta. Cruz Davao Del Sur.  Meanwhile, KATRIBU together with peasant leaders and organizations are poised to file counter-complaint  and conduct mass actions against the military. #