Militant solon eyes probe on slay of Lumad student

Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

A militant lawmaker is seeking a congressional probe on the killing of a 19-year-old grade six Lumad student from Davao Del Norte, condemning on Wednesday what he described as another extrajudicial slay of a teenager.

Obillo Bay-ao, from the lumad school Salugpongan Ta ‘Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center (STTICLC-Dulyan), was shot dead on Tuesday by a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU), identified as Ben Salangani, at around 2:30 p.m. at Sitio (subvillage) Dulyan, Barangay (village) Palma Gil, Talaingod, Davao Del Norte, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said.

“At first, Bay-ao obtained serious gunshot wounds and was rushed to the Davao Regional Hospital for medical treatment but by 9:15 p.m. he died at local public hospital,” Zarate said in a statement.

“Kaliwa’t kanan na ang nangyayaring pagpatay sa hanay ng mga kabataan, Lumad at mga aktibista at dapat na itong matigil. Dapat na makamit ang katarungan para kina Obillo, Kian at Carl,” the progressive solon added.

(The killings from the ranks of the youth, Lumad and activists are rampant now. This must be stopped. Justice must be obtained for Obillo, Kian and Carl.)

Zarate said the House’s Makabayan bloc will file a resolution to investigate the killing of the Lumad student.

“Mariing kinukundena ng Bayan Muna ang pagpatay na ito at muling naghahain ng resolusyon ang Makabayan bloc upang maimbestigahan ang pangyayari,” said Zarate.

(Bayan Muna strongly condemns this killing and the Makabayan bloc will file a resolution to investigate this case.)

The solon pointed out that the continuing Lumad killings were due to the “vilification campaigns” hoisted against them, noting President Rodrigo Duterte’s “red-tagging” of and “threat to bomb” Lumad schools.

“These continuing Lumad killings are the results of the continuing vilification campaign against them. Recently, even Pres. Duterte also red-tagged and threatened to bomb Lumad schools,” the solon said.

READ: Duterte clarifies he will destroy Lumad schools, not children

Zarated also criticized why the military had been allegedly targeting Lumad students and teachers. He also called for the CAFGUs and paramilitary to be disarmed.

“Lumad students and teachers are civilians but they are being targeted by military and paramilitary attacks, while they have not committed any crime nor are they members of the New People’s Army (NPA),” the Davao-based solon said.

“The CAFGUs and paramilitary groups in the province should immediately be disarmed,” he added. IDL