Palace backs inter-agency probe on Lumad killings

DISPLACED “lumad” said they were insulted by the way the dialogue led by North Cotabato 2nd District Rep. Nancy Catamco was conducted at an evacuation center in Davao City last July 22.KARLOS MANLUPIG/INQUIRER MINDANAO

Malacañang on Sunday said that it is supporting the investigation on the killing of Lumad leaders as pushed by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that the Department of Justice is backing an inter-agency probe on the deaths of Dionel Campos, Datu Juvello Sinzo, and Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (Alcadev) school director Emerito Samarca last Sept. 1 in Barangay (village) Di­atagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur.

“We note the statement of the CBCP on the killing of Lumads. According to Justice Secretary (Leila) de Lima, the DOJ (Department of Justice) supports the call for an inter-agency probe of the incident,” Coloma said.

The CBCP has earlier called for an “honest, impartial” probe on the deaths of the three Lumad leaders.

“[We ask] the gov­ern­ment for an hon­est, thor­ough, im­par­tial and speedy in­ves­ti­ga­tion so that the guilty may be held to ac­count for their wrong­do­ing,” said Arch­bishop Socrates Vil­le­gas, the pres­i­dent of the Catholic Bish­ops Con­fer­ence of the Philip­pines, in a state­ment.

Villegas said that the CBCP is “pro­foundly dis­turbed by re­ports that na­tional lead­ers have been quick to ex­on­er­ate the mili­tia group of wrong­do­ing,” he said.

On the other hand, the Palace spokesperson said that it ensures the safety of all citizens.

The three Lumad leaders were killed by a militia group called the Ma­ga­hat-Ba­gani Force, according to press reports. JE

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