NPA murders Lumads, displaces clan before ceasefire

From the Philippine Information Agency (Aug 24): NPA murders Lumads, displaces clan before ceasefire

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon — The New People’s Army (NPA) killed a Lumad family head Manlumakad Bucalas and his 10-year old son, Itsahan Bucalas in remote Binicalan sub-village, San Luis, Agusan del Sur, August 17.

The NPAs opened fire at Bucala’s residence around 10:30 a.m killing Manlumakad and his son. Family member survivors fled just hours after the attack and went to hide in the forest to avoid being captured by NPAs.

On 19 August 2016, the survivors reached Barangay Indalasa, a rural village of Malaybalay City, Bukidnon where they sought refuge for protection and security.

This happened before the Communist Party of the Philippine’s (CPP) declaration of the seven-day unilateral ceasefire took effect on August 20, 2016.

The NPAs have been targeting the Bucalas clan for refusing to join the revolutionary movement.

Not long ago, in 06 June 2016, the Bucalas clan suffered the same fate when NPAs ambushed clan members namely Mankulubi Bucalas, Lando Bucalas, and Julina Bucalas—who was then pregnant—together with four children.

Said ambush killed three adults—Mankulubi, Lando, Julina—and a child. The child victim was in the mountains. Only three children survived who were able to narrate their ordeal with the NPAs.

It can be recalled that in October 3, 2015, a small Talaandig village was attacked by NPA rebels and murdered their tribal leader Rene Bucalas or Datu Manhadukan Sandigan, in front of his tribesmen after refusing to allow his tribe to support and submit themselves to the NPA’s ideology.

This forced Talaandigs to flee and leave their ancestral lands. They then sought refuge in the municipality of Cabanglasan, Bukidnon, where they started new lives.

Lt Col Lennon G. Babilonia, Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion commander challenged the NPA leadership to abandon the armed struggle and spare the Lumads from their ill-motivated cause and allow the Lumad people to live peacefully in their ancestral lands.

“If indeed the NPA and their leaders are true to their pronouncements that they are pro-people and pro-Lumad, I challenge them to stay away from the Lumad communities and stop sowing seeds of fear and conflict among our Lumad brethren.

If the NPAs cannot help these people, then they should just leave them alone in peace, stop exploiting their culture and never confuse them with armed struggles that oblige them to kill one another. Because of their false ideology, they are killing not only innocent people but also the culture and the rich heritage of the Filipino people, which these Lumads carry with them," he said.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1501471943063/npa-murders-lumads-displaces-clan-before-ceasefire