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    Talaandig killed, 2 children wounded in latest attack of paramilitary group

    Katungod Lumad Alert:

    The dela Mance paramilitary group has struck once again, killing Mankombate Mariano, and wounded his grandchildren aged 10 and 11 years old.

    On October 27, 2015 at around 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Mariano and 16 others, including 12 children, all from Sitio Balaudo, St. Peter, Malaybalay City, were on their way to Dulmatong to pick Durian fruits. Dumaltong is a forested area in Barangay Canangaan in Cabanglasan, Bukidnon. It was a yearly event for the Talaandig community of Sitio Balaudo to gather fruits from the area at this time of the year.

    Mariano was leading the group while one of his grandchildren (named ‘Dodong’, not his real name) was behind him. When they were about 5 meters from a durian tree they had planned to pick, a series of shots were fired from the direction of the tree. Mariano’s companions ran back, leaving behind Mariano and Dodong, who could no longer move because of their gunshot wounds. Mariano was shot on the chest and hip while Dodong was hit on his left leg. Dodong fell to the ground, rolled down the hillside and hid behind abaca plants.

    From his location, Dodong saw Manlumakad Bocalas, who was holding a machete, ran towards his grandfather who was lying on the ground. Mariano was hacked in the head, left shoulder and left thigh. The other assailant, Mankolobi Bocalas was aiming his rifle at the others who fled.

    Dodong attempted to run and was shot again in his right leg. He bravely stood up, ignoring the wounds he sustained and ran. Mankolabi followed him with gunfire. His school backpack containing his notebooks fortunately saved his life. Some bullets hit the bag although he also sustained wounds on his right shoulder, his thigh, and his left arm and hip.

    Before sunset Dodong returned to the place of the incident and saw Mariano’s dead body.

    Meanwhile, the other grandchild (‘Nena’, not her real name) of Mariano was able to reach Balaudo with the others at around 7 in the evening. Nena experienced a numbing of the right leg and found that she had a bullet wound there. Some more of their companions arrived at around 2am the following day, having stayed in the forest without food or water.

    The community leaders decided to return to Dumaltong and look for their companions that early morning of October 28, 2015. They retrieved Mariano’s body near the durian tree.  They also found Dodong, who was alive but wounded and weak, lying a few meters behind some bushes.

    The perpetrators, Mankolobi Bocalas and Manlumakad Bocalas were reportedly members of the dela Mance Group believed to be part of the Alamara, a bigger paramilitary group based in the mountains on the Bukidnon and Davao boundary including the Pantaron Range. The dela Mance group continues to harass and threaten the communities as they continue to control the use of the ancestral lands along the Pantaron range.

    Please download the Katungod Lumad ALERT with photos in this link:
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzc5SdETrPEAMEtzcnFienYwVjQ/view?usp=sharing

    Demand justice now!

    EXPRESS YOUR CONCERN to the Philippine Government by writing to:

    H.E. Benigno S. Aquino III
    President of the Republic of the Philippines
    Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968
    E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]

    Hon. Leila M. de Lima
    Secretary, Department of Justice
    Tel: 523-8481 (loc. 211/214 ), 521-1908
    Fax: 524-5936
    Email: [email protected]

    Ret. Lt. Gen. Voltaire T. Gazmin
    Secretary, Department of National Defense
    Voice:+63(2) 911-6193, Fax:+63(2) 911-6213

    Hon. Jose Luis Martin Gascon
    Chairperson, Commission On Human Rights
    Telefax: 929-0102, 928-5655, 926-6188

    Atty. Leonor T. Oralde-Quintayo
    Chairperson, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples
    Tel: 373-97-87
    Email: [email protected]

    Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III
    Chair, Justice and Human Rights Committee
    Philippine Senate
    Trunk Lines: (632) 552-6601 to 70 loc. 5548
    Direct Lines: (632) 822-9758
    Fax No.: (632) 822-9759
    Email: [email protected]

    Rep. Guillermo Romarate Jr.
    Chair, Human Rights Committee
    House of Representatives
    Tel: (632) 931-5001; local 7051, 9518974

    Leonor T. Oralde-Quintayo
    Chair, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples
    Tel.: 373-9942

    Hon. Renante I. Ocando
    Mayor, Municipality of Cabanglasan
    Tel.: 0917-718-7079

    Hon. Jose Ma. Zubiri, Jr.
    Governor, Province of Bukidnon
    Provincial Capitol, Malaybalay City
    Tel.: (088) 221-2523; (088) 813-3845

    Hon. Ignacio W. Zubiri
    Mayor, City of Malaybalay
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Tel.: (088) 221-2267

    Copy furnish your letters to [email protected]

    Contact us at:
    Higala sa Lumad Network
    Room 01, Kalinaw Lanao Center for Interfaith Resources
    0016 Bougainvilla Puti, Villaverde
    9200 Iligan City, Philippines
    T/F: +63 (63) 223 5179
    E: [email protected]

    Katungod Lumad Alert is published by the ‘Higala sa Lumad’ [Friends of the Lumad] Network.

    ‘Higala sa Lumad’ Network is a support group composed of a broad range of interfaith personalities/representative of organizations synergizing relevant capacities and resources for Lumad communities under attack. ‘Higala’ also serves as an informal monitoring network for Lumad human rights. ‘Higala’ has been established as a component of the ‘Healing the Hurt’ Project.

    Published with support from the European Commission.

    This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of RMP-NMR and ‘Healing the Hurt’ Project partners and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.

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