Groups condemn decision as ‘unacceptable’, ‘without basis’
[UPDATED: 12:50 pm] A regional trial court (RTC) decided a humanitarian mission in 2018 was a crime of “child abuse” and convicted 14 rights defenders, earning swift condemnation from various groups.
Tagum RTC Branch 2 this morning said ACT Teachers Party Rep. France Castro, former Bayan Muna representative Satur Ocampo and 12 others were guilty of the charges filed by the Talaingod, Davao del Norte police in November of 2018.
Convicted with the two progressive leaders are school administrator Ma. Eugenia Victoria Nolasco as well as Lumad schoolteachers Jesus Madamo, Meriro Poquita, Maricel Andagkit, Marcial Rendon, Marianie Aga, Jenevive Paraba, Nerhaya Tallada, Ma. Concepcion Ibarra, Nerfa Awing, and Wingwing Daunsay.
They are sentenced to a maximum of six years, eight months, and one day and ordered a civil indemnity of P10,000 for each of the 14 minors who participated in the mass evacuation of the Lumad schools in Talaingod.
The Court acquitted the four other respondents in the case, Pastor Edgar Ugal, Rev. Ryan Magpayo, Rev. Jurie Jaime, and Ellen Ordeniza for “failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”
In his decision, Judge Jimmy Boco said those convicted exposed 14 Lumad children to “potential endangerment” by letting them walk for three hours instead of finding motorcycles for them to ride on.
Castro and Ocampo on the other hand did not ask for the assistance of concerned local government agencies when they fetched the children, the decision reads.
Bulatlat however said in an earlier report that Castro and Ocampo’s requests for assistance from government agencies were ignored.
Castro and Ocampo rushed to Talaingod on the night of November 28, 2018 to bring food and other aid to Lumad civilians and students of the Salugpongan Ta Tano Igkanugon Community Learning Center in Sitio Sinilaban, Barangay Palma Gil.
They were blocked by the presence of paramilitary group Alamara and tried to lodge a complaint with the local police.
The police however told them they themselves were subjects of investigations and arrested the team.
They were then subsequently charged.
WHAT WENT BEFORE: Talaingod PNP charges Castro, Ocampo, others with kidnapping
‘Outrageous, trumped up’
In a swift condemnation of the conviction, the Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND) said the charges were purely “fabricated.”
“These cases are UNACCEPTABLE and WITHOUT BASIS. We demand the immediate dismissal of these baseless charges! The educators and representatives have only been extending aid and support to the Lumad,” CONTEND said.
“In participating in the solidarity mission, Ka Satur and Representative France, together with the Salugpongan teachers, responded to calls for help regarding the threatened and endangered lives of Lumad youths,” it added.
CONTEND announced the holding of a condemnation rally at noontime at the Commission on Human Rights in Quezon City.
Human rights group Karapatan also condemned the Court’s decision, saying the charges were trumped up.
“Stop the attacks against Lumad schools and communities!” Karapatan said.
Earlier, Castro’s party called for the dismissal of charges, saying their congresswoman joined the mission “as part of her duties as Member of the House of Representatives and a congressional representative of marginalized sectors, including the indigenous peoples.”
The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights also called the charges “outrageous” and demanded justice for the accused. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
