Groups slam ‘forced’ rescue of lumad students in Cebu City

MANILA, Philippines — Left-leaning organizations have denounced the alleged rescue operations for lumad students in Cebu City, saying the police’s actions have caused stress upon evacuees.

Rights group Karapatan said the term “rescue operation” negates what a cellphone video footage has shown, asserting the procedure used by the Philippine National Police-Region 7 (PNP-Region 7) “involved force and coercion.”

“What kind of rescue operation involved force and coercion by uniformed elements like the PNP, knowing that these students were victims of forced evacuation amid military and paramilitary operations in their indigenous people’s community in Talaingod, Davao del Norte?” Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay noted.

“The lumad students were obviously in distress as they were forced out of the Lumad school in Cebu, despite and even with the presence of their parents,” she added.

Police reports indicated that at least 19 lumad students, who were seeking refuge at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, were rescued early Monday.

While activists have condemned authorities for their actions, PNP-Region 7 chief Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo maintained the operation was launched only after parents of six lumad students called for help.

Montejo further explained their investigation showed the indigenous people (IP), mostly minors, were supposed to be brought only to Davao City in 2018. For individuals who were arrested, Montejo said they will face charges for alleged serious illegal detention, kidnapping, and violation of Republic Act No. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

The PNP-Region 7 chief also said authorities will study if charges should also be filed against the University of San Carlos.

READ: Police ‘rescue’ Lumad kids from priests, educators in top Cebu university

But Karapatan claimed that PNP and its Region 7 office’s rescue operations were irregular because it was not coordinated with local government officials.

The group also emphasized that media footage, as well as raw footage taken by people inside the room when the alleged rescue operation happened, showed that the lumad students were intimidated and distressed over the police’s presence.

“Some videos, apart from those taken by local media, showed that the lumad children were screaming and crying, obviously showing fear with the presence of the police elements,” Karapatan said.

“The lumad students and the rest of those taken from the Lumad school are civilians and are not in any way armed or dangerous. There is apparent use of violence on the students, and how police elements have carried out this so-called ‘rescue’ should be looked into. We are deeply concerned [about] the condition of the Lumad students, especially [those] who have become victims time and again by State forces,” Palabay also said.

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said the government should allow the lumads to speak for themselves, as the reason for their evacuation to the University of San Carlos in Cebu City was the destruction of their ancestral homes in Mindanao.

He also assured that the Bayan Muna party-list will call for a congressional inquiry into the incident.

“This is truly outrageous and condemnable. The Lumad students are there because the military destroyed their schools in Mindanao and now even in their evacuation or bakwit school they are being harassed and abducted. ‘Di nga mapaaral ng husto ng pamahalaan ang mga lumad, ganito pa ang ginagawa nila sa mga nagpupursigeng mag-aral na katutubo,” Zarate said.

“We call on authorities to allow the lumad students, elders, and teachers to freely speak and to express themselves. The NTF-ECLAC should stop putting words in their mouths, misrepresenting them, and gaslighting them. The lumad can speak for themselves and their plight under the past and present administrations,” added the lawmaker, referring to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

But in a separate statement also on Monday, PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas claimed the rescued students are part of the Salugpungan schools in Talaingod and that they were allegedly taught communist ideals and principles and even trained for warfare.

Sinas echoed Montejo’s claims that the students were supposed to move only to Davao City but instead relocated to Cebu City – a move that parents of the students supposedly did not approve.

“The rescue operation is a manifestation that the Reds have been continuously engaged in recruiting and exploiting minors to be trained as child warriors, which is a clear violation of International Humanitarian Law and child protection laws,” Sinas said.

KGA