Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights

Northern Mindanao Region

2016 HUMAN RIGHTS YEAR END REPORT

During the KARAPATAN Northern Mindanao Regional Assembly
Provincial Capitol Training Center, Cagayan de Oro City
December 05, 2015

1.

INTRODUCTION: CHANGE IS WHERE?

Change is coming! This was the electoral mantra that ushered Rodrigo Roa
Duterte to Malacanang. His victory is a testament of the Filipino peoples
deep yearning for change. This yearning for change is brought about by
worsening economic condition felt by the majority. While the Duterte
government postures that change is here upon his assumption to power,
KARAPATAN says, change is where?
Today, as we hold this assembly in anticipation to the 68 th International
Human Rights Day come December 10, 2016, we also took notice that this is
the 158th day of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in Malcanang. From the lens
of KARAPATAN, change has not yet come. The records of human rights
violations under the Duterte regime shows that there is not much change in
the statistics on extra-judicial killings, frustrated extra-judicial killings,
forcible evacuation, threat-harassment-intimidations, etc., Impunity have not
decreased. The paramilitary groups especially the New Indigenous Peoples
Army for Reform (NIPAR) still roams freely raising havoc amidst lumad
communities in San Fernando, Bukidnon even if two warrants of arrest are
now standing against its leader Aldie Butsoy Salusad. AFP troops continue
to sow fear among communities as they conduct census even during night
time and profiles their organizations and their leaders and encamp at
community facilities in violation of international humanitarian law.
For the common Filipino, nothing has changed. Majority are still in the
quagmire of poverty. Lumads and peasants are still landless. Workers still
underpaid. Education still is expensive. Basic services are not accessible.
Human rights violations continue.
Moreover, as human rights violation in the countryside continue human
rights violations escalate in the cities as Duterte implements his war on
drugs resulting to the impunity of thousands of drug related killings.
KARAPATAN maintains that the drug problem cannot be solved by violating
human rights. Rather, it will be solved by promoting the economic and social
rights of the people, eliminating the economic base of illegal drug trade.
KARAPATAN rages together with the Filipino people with the Supreme Court
decision and the silent approval of Malacanan to a heros burial for the
1

dictator Marcos. This is an insult to the patriots who stood up and fight for
human rights during the martial law period. The president must set aside his
political patronage to the Marcos family and instead uphold justice for the
martial law victims.
2.

SUMMARY OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NORTHERN

MINDANAO

Table 1. Summary of Human Rights Violation from December 10, 2016 to

December 4, 2016 as documented by KARAPATAN NMR.

CASES
Extra-Judicial Killing
Frustrated EJK
Death in Evacuation
Strafing
Forced Evacuation
Demolition
Physical Assault
Trumped-Up Charges
Illegal
Arrest
and
Detention
Arrest and Detention
THI
Coercion
Violation of Domicile
Violation of Childrens
Rights - Orphaned
Violation of Childrens
Right to Education
Use of Civilians as
shield or guide
Destruction
of
Properties
Divestment
of
Properties
Illegal
Search
and
Seizure
Total

3
3
1
1
6
1
1
2

INCIDENTS
TOTAL
UNDER
INDIVIDUA
DUTERTE
LS
ADMINISTRATI
AFFECTED
ON
5
2
17
2
3
1
8
1
1,890
2
348
1
8
1
13
1

3
8
1
1

6
82
1
9

2
2
x
x

4
35
x
x

58

58

13

14

38

2,489

18

1,286

TOTAL
INCIDE
NT

INDIVIDUA
LS
AFFECTED
4
15
3
8
798
348
8
1

3. NO CHANGE UNDER DUTERTE. As records show human rights

violations did not decrease under the Duterte Regime. Four (4) of the
five (5) victims of the documented extra judicial killings for this year
were killed under his administration. In addition are fifteen (15) of the
seventeen (17) victims of frustrated EJK; all three (3) children who died
in evacuation; all eight (8) victims of strafing; almost 800 victims of
forced evacuation; all 348 victims of demolition. This clearly shows that
change does not automatically come with change of leadership. Nor
does it come because Duterte says so. Change is not synonymous to
Duterte.
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4. LUMADS STILL UNDER ATTACK. Like his predecessors, majority of

the total victims of Human Rights Violations under Dutertes
administration are the lumads. All of the victims of the above
documented cases on extra-judicial killings, frustrated killings, death in
evacuation and strafing are all lumads.

At six oclock in the morning of July 12, 2016 at Sitio Inalsahan,

Lupiagan, Sumilao, Bukidnon while sipping coffee in their tents
Higaonons were fired upon by elements of the Tagbagani Security
Agency. This resulted to the massacre of Reymar Maantao, Rogen
Suminao and Senon Nacaytuna. They were claimants of 5,000
ancestral domain now occupied by the RAMCAR ranch who hired the
security personnel mentioned above.
On July 30, 2016, Tigwahanons of Sitio Tibugawan, Bgy. Kawayan, San
Fernando, Bukidnon were joyfully celebrating a traditional wedding of a
Tigwahanon couple when the elements of New Indigenous Peoples
Army for Reform (NIPAR) sprayed bullets on them killing a pregnant
woman and resulted to the evacuation of the whole community. Prior
tyo this incident Datu Jimboy Mandaguit, leader of their organization
Kaugalingong Sistema Igpasisindog Tu Lumadnong Hugpaan (KASILO)
received a letter from NIPAR leader Aldie Salusad accusing him as
commander of the NPA and instructing him to surrender to the latter or
else he will massacre his community. Mandaguit advocates for the
protection ancestral domain and strongly opposes mining operations in
the area.
5. PERPETRATORS. Perpetrators positively identified can be categorized
into three. (1) State security forces 58th IBPA & 8th IBPA conducting
COPD, PNP Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, PNP San Fernando, Bukidnon.
Sgt. Urdista and Sgt. Bahala were positively identified. (2)
Paramilitary groups NIPAR and Dela Mance Group. Aldie Salusad
and Romulo Dela Mance were positively identified. (3) Guards and
Goons Elements of Tagbagani Security Agency and Cowboy Security
Agency.
6. IMPUNITY. Not a single identified perpetrator was brought to justice.
One of the most notorious is NIPAR leader Aldie Butsoy Salusad, the
one responsible for the Tibugawan Massacre. There are more than two
standing warrant of arrest against him. He is not in hiding. He is just in
his palace like residence in Kiranggol, San Fernando, Bukidnon. But
until now he has not been arrested. The police says they cannot serve
the warrant because they fear for their lives. On the other hand, he
was identified as partner of the KALAHI-CIDS program of the DSWD
region X.
Romulo Dela Mance, leader of the Dela Mance paramilitary group
which is affiliated with ALAMARA paramiltary group also have more
than one standing warrants of arrest. Their group is identified as
responsible for the spate of killings in Cabanglasan, St. Peter and Can3

ayan, Malaybalay City. He is an elected barangay official Dalacutan,

Cabanglasan, Bukidnon. But until today he is not yet arrested.
7. PEACETALKS. One positive feature of the Duterte regime is its
openness to the peace talks. But at the moment two of many
challenges it face are the release of political prisoners and the issues
on ceasefire.
RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS. At the October Oslo joint
statement one of what was agreed was the release of 200 political
prisoners on the basis of humanitarian grounds. This will be in addition
to the 19 who were released to join to August Oslo talks. Release of all
political prisoners is one of many public pronouncements of Duterte in
line with the peace talks. But until now, not a single release happened.
At present KARAPATAN enlisted 401 political prisoners all over the
country. 130 of them are sickly, 33 are elderly, 33 are women and 49
have been imprisoned for more than ten years already. 15 of them
were arrested during the Duterte administration. In the Northern
Mindanao Region, there are 21 political prisoners at present. 4 of them
were arrested during the Duterte administration. The lone woman
Teresita Namatidong is 46 years old. Dominiciano Mora, 57 years old is
suffering tuberculosis. Both of them are now detained at Malaybalay
Bureau of Jail, Management and Penology (BJMP). They can be good
candidates for release on humanitarian grounds.
CEASEFIRE ISSUES. While there is a standing unilateral declaration of
ceasefire on both parties of the negotiation, KARAPATAN is receiving
reports of alleged military operations in the usual guise of civic military
operations especially in the form of census that ensue even at night
and gets profile of the community organizations and its leaders. There
are also reports of encampment within the communities and use of
community facilities for military purposes. These are violations of
international humanitarian law and the Comprehensive Agreement on
the Respect of Human Rights and International and International
Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). This is detrimental to the peace talks.
8. PEOPLES VICTORY. Most violations are committed against those who
stand for human rights and leaders of organizations that advance
peoples rights. Amidst these efforts to suppress the peoples struggle
KARAPATAN witness several victories of these organizations. Siding with
the struggling masses, KARAPATAN is firm in its commitment to
advance human rights and the collective rights of the people. Here in
the northern Mindanao region we have assisted in the successful
release on bail of our two (2) NDFP consultants which enabled them to
participate in the August Oslo Talks. Now, they are JASIG protected. We
also facilitated for Ramilito Librea to be released on bail. Trumped-up
charges against Didin Lindasan and 11 et als, and against Demit
Lumista were dismissed. After a dialogue at the Misamis Oriental
provincial capitol the 58th IBPA pulled out from Sitio Camansi, Bgy.
Banglay, Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental. We have successfully filed case
against Aldie Salusad. There are more works to be done. But with a
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more vibrant organized work and collective strength of the people we

are resolved to earn more victories for human rights.
9.

CALLS. We therefore call President Duterte to:

a. End impunity! Arrest Aldie Salusad and Romulo Dela Mance and
dismantle paramiltary groups.
b. Respect lumad rights to self-determination and ancestral
domain! Stop land grabbing of ancestral lands!
c. Pursue peace talks! Release all political prisoners!
d. Stop military operations in the guise of COPD! Focus on socioeconomic reforms!
e. Stop Drug Related Killings! Focus on socio-economic reforms to
remove economic base of illegal drug trade.
f. Set aside political patronage to the Marcos family! Serve justice
to the victims of Martial Law.

10.
CONCLUSION. Changing the Philippines to a better society that
upholds human rights cannot be achieved by merely voting a more
popular leader of the nation. A strong leader is not enough. Political will
is not enough. Especially if the oppressive social structures are not
fundamentally changed. History has taught us, the peoples will is
decisive. When the majority of the Filipinos led by the oppressed will
unite and decide to fight for the legitimate and democratic rights of the
people real change will be achieved.
Karapatan, karapatan, karapatan ng mamayan, ipaglaban!
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