stop the extra-judicial killing of indigenous peoples in the philippines

8/12/2019 Stop the Extra-Judicial Killing of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines

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28 March 2014

H.E. Benigno C. Aquino III

President of the RepublicMalacaang Palace,Manila Philippines

Dear Mr. President,

Greetings from Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) and the Indigenous Human RightsDefenders Network (IPHRD Network) in Asia.

We express our deep concern, alarm and condemnation on the unabated killings of indigenouspeoples in the Philippines. We also express our disappointment and frustration with the

Philippine governments slow and almost non-action towards the killings of indigenous peopleshuman rights defenders. These acts including the denial of justice are clearly in violation of theinternational and national human rights obligations of the government. We stand firm indemanding that the government account for the recent spate of political killings of indigenouspeoples and ensure that justice shall prevail.

Yet again, we received reliable reports and as reported in media outlets on the recent brutalkilling of four indigenous peoples human rights defenders.

The recent case is that of Mr. William Bugatti, a Tuwali from Ifugao, who was killed in the eveningof March 25, 2014 while on his way to his home in Ifugao province, Cordillera. William is aRegional Council Member of the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance-KARAPATAN, a Regional

Council Member of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance representing the Ifugao Peasant Movementand the Provincial Coordinator of Bayan Muna partylist. He was a very dedicated and hardworking activist seeking for the improvement of marginalised indigenous communities. William is#21 of the 86th IB Target List out of 28 tagged as brains, members and supporters of the NewPeoples Army (NPA). He has constantly been accused of being a member of the NPA and thisresulted to notable incidents of surveillance and harassment against him derailing him from fullyimplementing his work. William is survived by his wife and three children.

Another case is the massacre of Freddie Fermin Ligiw, Edie Ligiw and their father LicubenLigiw on March 2, 2014 in Sukaw, Domenglay, Baay-Licuan, Abra allegedly by elements of the41st Infantry Battalion. They were missing since March 2nd and their severely tortured bodieswere exhumed on March 8th 2014 by a police investigation team. Fermin had been coerced to

serve as a guide for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on February 19, 2014 when theyconducted a military operation against the NPA suspected to be present in the area. On March4th, he was supposed to give his account to human rights workers on this violation against hisperson but he was never able to meet with them. That same day, the AFP forewarned thevillagers not to go to the mountain because a military operation was going on.

These incidents of gross human rights violations perpetuated against indigenous peoples leadersare taking place in the midst of their struggles to protect and defend their collective rights overtheir lands, territories and resources and to advance their welfare and aspirations. We believe itis not mere coincidence that development projects in indigenous territories are also beingpursued by the government in these areas along with militarization. We have no doubt that the


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systematic attack being made on indigenous peoples communities and their leaders is meant tostifle their opposition and struggle to defend their ancestral lands and against militarism.

Of particular concern is the fact that those killed appear to have been carefully selected andintentionally targeted. We are alarmed that this escalating political repression in the form of extra

judicial killings, harassments, vilification and intimidation will only aggravate the worseningconditions of indigenous peoples and is a clear affront to the avowed commitment of thegovernment to respect human rights. These acts committed with impunity must end and justicebe served to all the victims of human rights violations. Further, we demand the full respect of thecollective rights of indigenous peoples especially to their lands, territories and resources, as wellas to genuine peace in their territories as stipulated in the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA)and United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

The governments failure to protect the rights of its citizens and to timely address human rightsviolations is a breach of its obligations to various international instruments to which it is a party

to. As a State Party to the UN Convention against Torture, the Philippine government is obligedto prevent acts of torture. Its failure to address the continuing vilification of human rightsdefenders leading to their extrajudicial killings is a breach of its obligation under the InternationalCovenant on Civil and Political Rights to provided for equal protection to the civil and politicalrights for all the citizens without discrimination. The failure of the Philippine government topromptly redress these human rights violation are in total contradiction with the principlesdefended by the UNDRIP to which the Philippine government voted in favour for its adoption.The 1987 Philippine Constitution likewise stipulates the promotion of the rights of indigenouscultural communities within the framework of national unity and development. The killings andthreats mentioned above are also breaching those domestic provisions.

According to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Part II, article 2, 3, a, which

the Republic of the Philippines is a party, each State party to the Covenant undertakes : (a) Toensure that any person whose rights or freedoms as herein recognized are violated shall have aneffective remedy, notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in anofficial capacity.

We therefore call on Your Excellency Benigno Aquino III and other concerned governmentagencies and institutions to:

1. Conduct immediately a thorough and impartial investigation on the killings of William Bugatti,Fermin, Eddie and Licuben Ligiw and the other indigenous leaders and activists killed beforethem and prosecute without impunity all those involvedThe investigation should not just look into the act themselves but also on the root cause of the

issues.

2. Conduct an investigation on the alleged target list that includes the name of the victim, Mr.William Bugatti, and other indigenous leaders and development workers in Ifugao;

3. Organize an independent fact-finding and investigation team composed of representativesfrom human rights groups, the Church, local government, and other relevant indigenous peoplesand human rights agencies and relevant committees in the Senate and House ofRepresentatives;


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4. Provide the immediate relief and security for the family of William Bugatti and the Ligiw family;5. Immediately order the pullout of the military in indigenous communities and the dismantling ofparamilitary forces in the country;

6. Take concrete steps to put an end to those aspects of counterinsurgency operations whichhave led to the targeting, vilification and execution of individuals working with civil societyorganizations, and the victimization of innocent and unarmed civilians;7. Immediately direct all military officers to cease making public statements linking political orother civil society groups and their members to those engaged in armed insurgencies.8. Invite the UN Special Rapporteur on Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitraryexecutions and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples to investigate thekillings.

Further, we reiterate our call for the creation of an inter-agency task force to investigate all thekillings of indigenous peoples human rights defenders who now number 44 within the 45 monthsof the current regime.

It is our hope that your administration will also give priority to the promotion and protection of therights and welfare of indigenous peoples in our country.

Respectfully,

COPY FURNISHED TO:

CC:Hon. Severo CaturaPresidential Human Rights CommitteeMalacaang Palace, JP Laurel St., San Miguel Manila Philippines FAX: +63- 2 734 6761Email: [email protected]

Hon. Nancy CatamcoChairpersonNational Cultural Communities Committee of the 15th CongressHouse of RepresentativesBatasan Complex, Quezon CityFax: +63029315106

Email address: [email protected]; [email protected]

Hon. Teddy BaguilatVice ChairpersonNational Cultural Communities Committee of the 15th CongressHouse of RepresentativesBatasan Complex, Quezon CityFax: +63029315106Email address: [email protected],[email protected]

Ret. Lt. Gen. Voltaire T. GazminSecretary, Department of National Defense
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Room 301 DND Building, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo,E. de los Santos Avenue, Quezon CityVoice:+63(2) 911-6193 / 911-0488 / 982-5600

Fax:+63(2) 982-5600Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Atty. Leila De LimaSecretary, Department of JusticePadre Faura St., ManilaDirect Line 521-1908Trunkline 523-84-81 loc.211/214Fax: (+632) 523-9548Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Hon. Leonor T. Oralde-Quintayo

ChairpersonNational Commission on Indigenous PeoplesWest Avenue, Quezon City, PhilippinesEmail:[email protected]

Hon. Loretta Ann P. RosalesChairperson, Commission on Human RightsSAAC Bldg., UP ComplexCommonwealth AvenueDiliman, Quezon City, PhilippinesVoice: (+632) 928-5655, 926-6188Fax: (+632) 929 0102

Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Hon. Denis HabawelGovernorProvince of IfugaoLagawe, Ifugao

Email:[email protected]

SIGNATORIES

1. Organizations

# ORGANIZATION COUNTRY

1 Bangladesh Adivasi Forum Bangladesh

2 Kapaeeng Foundation Bangladesh

3 Trinamul Unnayan Sangstha Bangladesh
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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4 Cambodia Indigenous Youth Association (CIYA) Cambodia

5 Organisation for Promotion of Kui Culture in Cambodia Cambodia

6 Indigenous Community Support Organisation (I.C.S.O) Cambodia

7 Building Community Voices ( BCV) Cambodia

8 NGO Forum on Cambodia Cambodia

9 Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples

(ICITP)

India

10 Borosa Foundation for Peace, Democracy and Human

Rights

India

11 Borok People's Human Rights Organisation(BPHRO) India

12 Borok Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Development

Centre (BITPDC)

India

13 Civil Society Womens Organization India

14 Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur India

15 Indigenous Women Forum in Northeast India (IWFNEI) India

16 Karbi Human Rights Watch (KHRW) India

17 Peoples Joint Action Committee for Boroland

Movement

India

18 Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) India

19 North East Peoples Alliance (NEPA) India

20 Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara - AMAN

(Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago)

Indonesia

21 PEREMPUAN AMAN Indonesia

22 Barisan Pemuda Adat Nusantara (BPAN)/The

Archipelago Indigenous Youth Front

Indonesia

23 Association of Indigenous Peoples in the Ryukyus

(AIPR)

Japan

24 Shimin Gaikou Centre Japan


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25 Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysiaJOAS (Indigenous

Peoples Network of Malaysia)

Malaysia

26 Dignity International Malaysia

27 Pax Romana ICMICA Malaysia

28 Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Nepal

29 Lawyers Association for Human Rights of Nepalese

Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP)

Nepal

30 Kulung Indigenous Peoples being a Chairperson of

Nepal Kirat Kulung Bhasa Sanskriti Utthan Sangh

(NKKBSUS)

Nepal

31 Indigenous Women League Nepal Nepal

32 Centre for 21st Century Issues (C21st) Nigeria

33 Damaan Development Organization Pakistan

34 Cordillera Peoples Alliance Philippines

35 Cordillera Women's Education Action Research Center

(CWEARC)

Philippines

36 Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng

Pilipinas (KAMP)

Philippines

37 Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples Rights

(TFIP)

Philippines

38 Koalisyon ng mga Katutubong Samahan ng Pilipinas -

KASAPI

Philippines

39 Pikhumpongan Dlibon Subanen, Inc. (PDSI) Philippines

40 Legal Rights and Natural Resources CenterKasamasa Kalikasan (LRC-KsK/Friends of the Earth-

Philippines)

Philippines

41 College Editors Guild of the Philippines Philippines

42 Grupo Intercultural ALMACIGA Spain

43 Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) Thailand


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44 Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders Network

(IPHRD Network)

Thailand

45 Indigenous Knowledge and Peoples (IKAP) Thailand

46 Forest Peoples Programme (FPP) UK

47 Philippine Indigenous Peoples Links (PIPLinks) UK

48 Global Council of the International Coalition for Human

Rights in the Philippines

UK

49 Center for Sustainable Development in Mountainous

areas

Vietnam

50 ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR)

2. Individuals as of April 1, 2014:

#Summary of Individual Signatories ByCountry Number

1 Philippines 160

2 Canada 21

3 Australia 15

4 USA 13

5 Thailand 10

6 Nepal 9

7 UK 9

8 India 8

9 Indonesia 7

10 Bangladesh 6

11 Denmark 6

12 Malaysia 6

13 Sweden 4

14 Cambodia 3

15 Hongkong 3

16 Germany 2

17 Saudi Arabia 2

18 Taiwan 2

19 Belgium 1

20 Ecuador 1

21 Greece 1

22 Israel 1


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23 Russian Federation 1

24 Singapore 1

25 South Africa 126 South Korea 1

27 Sri Lanka 1

28 Switzerland 1

29 UAE 1

30 Vietnam 1

TOTAL 298

stop the extra-judicial killing of indigenous peoples in the philippines

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