IP leader, companion killed in ambush in Surigao Sur

From the Philippine Information Agency (Oct 5, 2020): IP leader, companion killed in ambush in Surigao Sur

LIANGA, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 5 – An indigenous peoples (IP) leader and his companion were killed on Sunday, Oct. 4, in an ambush by suspected communist NPA terrorists (CNTs) in Lianga, Surigao del Sur.

In a report from the Police Provincial Office of Surigao del Sur, Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Hawudon Jumar Bucales, a staunch advocate of IP rights, and a vocal critic of Bayan Muna Representative Eufemia Campos Cullamat and Datu Alberto dela Peña were killed in an ambush at Sitio Mamprasanon, Barangay Banahao, Lianga, Surigao del Sur on Sunday afternoon by the CNTs while on their way home after an IP council meeting. CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) Ronald Acevedo, CAA Artemio Moldes and Oliver Rosaldo were reportedly wounded, the police report added.

Datu Jumar Bucales, as an IP leader, has strongly condemned the CNTs and its front organization, Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Sumusunod (MAPASU) for exploiting the IPs which, according to him, destroyed the culture and traditions of the tribe.

He also confronted the communist-linked IP schools, Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS), and Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV), which breed New People's Army (NPA) cadres, and terrorist fighters. He also revealed that these schools were the sources of logistical support from the international and local funding agencies and used as recruitment facilities.

Bucales’ leadership was instrumental in crafting the tribal resolutions to close CNT-linked TRIFPSS and ALCADEV, and in the establishment of Department of Education (DepEd) IP schools to provide quality education for their children. He also authored resolutions for the continuous development of the far-flung conflict-affected communities.

With his leadership, he anchored his efforts with the Whole-Of-Nation Approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in Lianga, which strongly opposed by Bayan Muna Representative Cullamat, who is also a native of Lianga and brother of Communist NPA Terrorist leader, Pablito Sinzo Campos alias Batik.

Bucales, on some occasions, dared Rep. Cullamat to help the IPs build DepEd accredited schools and to support the tribe by condemning the Communist NPA Terrorists and their atrocities but Cullamat took no action.

Lianga Tribal Chieftain Datu Constancio Duhac and the whole IP community condemned in strongest terms the killing of their IPMR and have vowed to continue his vision towards saving the whole IP community from being corrupted by the CNTs.

“We mourn for the death of our IPMR Hawudon Jumar Bucales, and we condemn these NPA terrorists to include the MAPASU. His death will not stop us from fighting for the rights of IPs. His death will not discourage us in fighting the NPAs, rather this will inspire and ignite us more to protect our tribe from them,” Duhac said.

“Once again, we challenge Congresswoman Cullamat to take action and condemn the NPA terrorists because what happened is unacceptable. If she cannot do that, this will strongly prove that she is not supporting the genuine cause of the IPs but the cause of the NPA terrorists and the Communist Party of the Philippines whose ambition is to overthrow the government and gain political power through a bloody revolution,“ San Miguel IPMR Rico Maca, said in his social media post.

Datu Bucales was also a former NPA leader who returned to the folds of the law upon discovering that he and his tribesmen were being exploited by the CNTs in their futile armed and political struggle by using IP issues to agitate and recruit IPs. From then on, Bucales vowed to help the government win the peace by countering the CNTs’ deceptive scheme and supporting the Whole-of-Nation Approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

Meanwhile, the IP Tribal Council of Lianga is set to file human rights violations and criminal cases against the NPA terrorists and their masterminds for violation of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. Further, the IP leaders will continue to support the National Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) to put an end to the CNTs’ atrocities and abuses in the IP communities. (1Lt. Krisjuper Andreo J. Punsalan/3SFBn, PA/PNP/PIA-Surigao del Sur)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1055084