NUPL welcomes release of 4 Tumandok tribesmen but calls for accountability

MANILA, Philippines — The National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) welcome on Wednesday the release from jail of four Tumandok tribesmen who had been tagged as communist insurgents, but it asserted the need for holding accountable those responsible for such an “injustice.”

The tribesmen were among the 17 tribesmen arrested in simultaneous police-military raids on Panay Island on Dec. 30, 2020, during which nine tribesmen were also killed.

On Tuesday, July 13, Judge Rommel Leonor of Branch 21 of the Regional Trial Court Branch 21 in Mambusao, Capiz, ordered the release of the four tribesmen. In a separate resolution on June 15, Leonor quashed the arrest warrants, which were issued by a Manila RTC, on the strength of which the raids were conducted.

“We are of course elated that our assertion about the dubiousness of the search warrant and by implication even the violent search itself was validated by a brave and independent court that remained faithful to the law, the Constitution, and reason,” NUPL President Edre Olalia said in a statement.

“But the outstanding questions remain: How do courts avoid such awkward and embarrassing situations where co-equal courts have divergent, even conflicting findings? How can those responsible for this injustice and their enablers and apologists be made to account and when?” Olalia went on.

“And most importantly, how do you bring back the lives lost, ever restore freedoms taken away and fully repair all the damages wreaked on the victims?” he added.

Police and military officials accused those killed and arrested of being leaders or supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army.

They also claimed that those who were killed fired at the operatives conducting the raids. Relatives of the tribesmen and several barangay officials denied this.

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