Non-Moro tribal folk seek gov’t protection amid death threats
DAVAO CITY—Leaders of non-Moro indigenous peoples (NMIP) in Maguindanao del Sur are calling for stronger security measures from the government to protect them from threats and attacks.
In a statement on Tuesday, NMIP leaders said at least 40 of their community members in South Upi town had been receiving death threats daily, especially after Helen Benito, sister of slain Vice Mayor Roldan Benito, won the mayoral race on May 12.
Roldan Benito, a Teduray leader and the mayor-elect’s younger brother, and his aide died in an ambush at Barangay Pandan in South Upi town in August last year. On May 21, the outgoing mayor of South Upi and his wife were arrested for their alleged involvement in the killing.
Congressional hearing
“Shortly after having a [member of] non-Moro indigenous peoples win a key position in the local government, this victory is immediately overshadowed by increasing threats and intimidation to the safety of our leaders and communities,” said the statement signed by NMIP leaders, among them Mary Joie Melis, secretary of Task Force Bantay Kalikasan, and Jennevie Cornelio, a member of the women’s council of the Timuay Justice and Governance, the indigenous structure of the Teduray and Lambangian tribe.
They noted that among those who had been receiving increased threats from unidentified groups were tribe members who took part in the inquiry at the House of Representatives from December 2024 to February this year. The inquiry, led by the House committee on indigenous cultural communities, looked into the killings of NMIPs, mostly in South Upi, which were linked to their ancestral domain claim.
“At least 40 NMIP leaders and community members are under threat,” Deanne Capiral, advocacy manager of the Climate Conflict Action, a support group for NMIPs, told the Inquirer in a text message.
“Some are trapped in their houses. They cannot leave their barangays [because of the threats] and those who left, could not return. The livelihood of some had stopped. They fear that armed men are just waiting for their chance to target them once they travel,” Capiral added.
NMIP leaders said the protection that was promised by the government during the congressional hearing had not been felt in South Upi.
“A promise to create a task force in South Upi was made during the hearings. This task force that is supposed to protect us has not been felt in the community,” said the statement, also signed by Danilo Ucab, the Indigenous Peoples’ Mandatory Representative of Barangay Kuya in South Upi town; Gabriel Manguda, head of the Teduray People’s Organization; Edward Abelardo, chair of the NMIP Youth Network; and Lambangian leaders Jerome Inggo and Mantil Inggo.
“This is evidenced by lawless elements and suspicious individuals coming in and out of the municipality ‘looking’ for our leaders in their residences,” the statement added.
More troops, checkpoints
NMIP leaders appealed to the government to deploy more policemen and soldiers in what they described as “hotspot” villages in South Upi, and to reassign the current security team in the town to ensure their impartiality.
They also called for the establishment of checkpoints to prevent the entry of “suspicious persons” into South Upi communities.
To allow constant community monitoring and quick response in the event of an attack, especially on those under threat, they suggested holding bimonthly meetings between the government and NMIP leaders.
“We also call on Congress to strengthen their oversight over parliamentary decisions to ensure that these are consistent with national laws on IPs, such as the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act, and do not infringe upon the security and safety of NMIPs,” the statement said.
“We appeal to our government institutions to help us feel safe and free from fear in our homes and ancestral domain,” it added.
