A Manobo tribal leader was shot and killed by suspected military agents in Lianga, Surigao del Sur on October 24.

According to human rights group Karapatan, Henry Alameda was dragged outside of his house in Sitio Cabalawan, Brgy. San Isidro, Lianga, Surigao del Sur by three men armed with M14 and M16 rifles. Alameda refused to go along with the armed men and clung to a post in a waiting shed outside of their house.

This prompted one of the suspects to shoot him twice in the chest while another shot him in the head.

According to the group, witnesses saw that elements of 2nd Scout Ranger Batallion of the Philippine Army were on foot patrol in Upper Oregon, Logdeck, San Isidro, Lianga early morning of October 24.

Before he was killed, Alameda was an active council member of Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Sumusunod (Mapasu), a Lumad organization strongly opposing mining operations and land conversions for big agro-corporate plantations in the Caraga Region.

The killing was witnessed by Henry’s wife and their children.

On the same day, in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, members of the same military and paramilitary units reportedly killed a resident of Brgy. San Lorenzo and wounded five other residents.

Karapatan said that around 8 PM, 15 armed men arrived in San Lorenzo, Prosperidad. Around eight armed men went to the house of Brgy. Capt. Alejandro Dumaguit.

Dumaguit was told to get out of the house by the armed men and was immediately fired upon. One of the bullets hit his shoulder when he was about to reach the door.

Two of Alejandro’s children ran to him and were also hit by bullets. When 13 year-old Elejen Dumaguit was hit on her stomach, while Aldren Dumaguit tried to shield his sister from the bullets and was then hit and killed.

Alejandro was able to identify a certain Waway Belandres as one of the shooters.

Another group of seven armed men, meanwhile, went to the adjacent houses of Alfredo Undayon and Victor Undayon, surrounding and indiscriminately firing upon the two houses.

Alfredo’s 16 year-old son Enggoy opened the window upon hearing gunfire. He was shot at by the armed men but was not hit and immediately crawled toward his sister, Lynlyn, 8, and dragged her to the kitchen.

Alfredo was talking with his neighbor Arsenio when they heard gunfire. They immediately jumped out of the house and ran for safety but were fired upon. Alfredo was hit in his elbow.

Karapatan added that troops from the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion, 36th IB PA and the 3rd Special Forces Battalion under the 401st Brigade of the Philippine Army have been launching military operations in the mountainous areas of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Norte.

Accompanying the military troops were members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Units (Cafgu) and a paramilitary group under a certain Datu Calpit Egua.

On October 12, a Mandaya father and son his were killed while on their way home in Tubod, Manurigao, New Bataan, Compostela Valley. The Eastern Mindanao Command said that the killing of Rolando Dagansan, 43, and his son Juda, 15 was accidental.

Human rights groups in Mindanao have documented 83 extra-judicial killings, mostly of Lumad leaders and environmental defenders, as of September alone.

Aside from the killings, Karapatan said that almost 500 activists, Lumad leaders and human rights advocates have been charged with “fabricated charges” mostly by military units and mining corporations.