Lumads banking on de Lima to end militia killing spree

THE Lumads or the indigenous people are hoping that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima will honor her word of helping address their crisis.

Representatives of the Lumad communities met with the Justice chief not only for updates on cases filed against those involved in the spate of killings in their community but also to get assistance on dealing the presence of military and paramilitary in their area.

“The Lumad crisis demands swift action and we will hold the DOJ (Department of Justice) to its commitment to uphold justice for the Lumad groups,” Renato Reyes, secretary general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, who accompanied the Lumads during the dialogue with de Lima said in a text message.

“It appears that Secretary de Lima only has a few weeks left in office and we urge her to give this matter her utmost priority,” Reyes added.

During the meeting, Reyes said de Lima promised to issue a legal opinion on paramilitary groups claiming to be indigenous self-defense forces as well as the military presence in schools pursuant to Department of Education (DepEd) Memorandum 221 or the Guidelines on the Protection of Children During Armed Conflict.

De Lima also informed the Lumads that criminal cases have been filed in connection with the killings in Davao and Surigao del Sur.

“We learned that murder and arson cases have been filed against individuals in the Lianga massacre last Sept. 18,” Reyes said adding that they are waiting for the issuance of the warrants of arrest against the accused.

However, Reyes said no cases have so far been filed over the so-called Paquibato massacre, or the killing of a tribal leader and two church workers by the military in Davao City last June, as well as the killing of five Lumads in Bukidnon.

He added that the complaints regarding the Paquibato killings remained pending with the Davao City prosecutor.