Karapatang Pantao

Military instigating tribal war in Mindanao


Lumad leaders accused military of using a tribal paramilitary group to provoke a “redo” or tribal war among indigenous people in Surigao del Sur, and cover-up the intensification of military operations. Since October 24, after the death of Henry Alameda, a tribal leader of Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Sumusunod (Mapasu) purportedly by paramilitary group under […]

Henry Alameda's coffin draped in white cloth. Photo Contribution
Henry Alameda’s coffin draped in white cloth. Contributed Photo

Lumad leaders accused military of using a tribal paramilitary group to provoke a “redo” or tribal war among indigenous people in Surigao del Sur, and cover-up the intensification of military operations.

Since October 24, after the death of Henry Alameda, a tribal leader of Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Sumusunod (Mapasu) purportedly by paramilitary group under a Manobo cheftain Calpit Egua, forced thousand of Lumads to fled their homes.

In a statement, Mapasu said that Egua’s men set on fire a corn shelter, burned down a school built by non-government organizations and ransacked a coomunity cooperative in Lianga, Surigao del Sur.

“The group that killed Henry Alameda last October 24 was with from the more or less 30 men in the neighboring community of Logdeck. The 17 military and paramilitary men in Cabalawan were also from Logdeck,” said Jalandoni Campos, Mapasu chairman.

He added that one of the men that showed up in Panukmuan wore a full jungle military uniform. One of the men in the group that showed up in Kabulohan on October 26 also wore a full jungle military uniform. There are many soldiers in our communities but only six to nine only usually go to the communities and are ordered to wreak havoc.

Lumad leaders believe that military ordered the paramilitary group to terrorize their communities. “They would like to provoke the anger of Mapasu members against Kalpet to rationalize their pronouncements of redo or tribal war. They would like to wash their hands of the incidents,” Campos said.

Mapasu said that the military has been launching military operations in the mountainous areas of Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur and in Lianga and San Miguel, Surigao del Sur.

“We, Lumad leaders, declare that even if Kalpet’s followers abduct and kill, we will still hold the military accountable because they are the ones giving orders. Kalpet’s men are members of the paramilitary,” Campos said.

Military operations

According to human rights group Karapatan, at least 22 communities of Mapasu have been target of massive military operations since 2005.

From October 24 to 27, members of the 3rd Special Forces and the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion of the Philippine Army were seen in the vicinity of Lumad communities.

Almost two thousand Lumad trekked the mountain to flee from military operations. They are currently in Diatagon community Gym. Photo Contribution
Almost two thousand Lumad trekked the mountain to flee from military operations. They are currently in Diatagon community Gym. Contributed Photo

“The incident is among the many cases of alleged atrocities in the course of the combat operations by the joint forces of the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion under Lt. Col. Jesus Durante of 36th IB, 3rd Special Forces Battalion, 401st Brigade, elements of CAFGU, and the paramilitary group of Calpit Egua, and Marcos Bocales, former leader of Task Force Gantangan, a remnant of Gloria Arroyo’s Oplan Bantay Laya,” said Cristina Palabay secretary general of Karapatan.

In a radio interview in Butuan, 4th Infantry Division Spokeperson Maj. Christian Uy admitted that the 401s Brigade is conducting military operations in San Lorenzo in Prosperidad and in the mountainous communities of Lianga and San Miguel in Surigao del Sur. But he denied that they are supporting the paramilitary group of Calpit Egua.

Recently, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Catapang announced the deployment of two more army brigades to Mindanao. The additional troops will augment the 55 combat battalions already deployed in areas considered insurgency hotbeds.

But human rights and Indigenous peoples groups said that the massive military deployment in Mindanao is an attempt to protect current and future large-scale mining operations within the ancestral lands of the Lumad people. Lumads under Mapasu have refused to allow coal mining within the Andap Valley Complex.

Andap Valley Complex covers the mountainous areas of San Miguel, San Agustin, Marihatag, Cagwait, Tago and Lianga, Surigao del Sur.

As a result of the alleged havoc caused by Egua’s group and backed by the military, at least 2,000 individuals evacuated to Barangay Diatagon gym, affecting 11 tribal communities in Barangays Diatagon and San Isidro in Lianga; four tribal and settler communities in Barangay Buhisan, San Agustin and one tribal community.

Aside from burning a community school, Karapatan also reported that teachers and students of the Lumad Community Learning Centers have been harassed, threatened, vilified as “New People’s Army schools” and used as temporary military camps by operating troops.

The evacuation caused seven community learning schools to close, affecting 569 pupils.

Three learning centers in Nalindog, Hayon and Sangay in Libas Sud, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur have also closed down because of ongoing military operations affecting 306 students, according to the group.