Aquino holds meeting with lumads

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday morning met with representatives of indigenous peoples (IP) groups to discuss pressing issues, Malacañang said.

“Earlier today, the President, along with key members of the Cabinet, met with leaders from the Indigenous Peoples sector,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement.

“He heard the totality of their concerns and issued directives to come up with concrete action plans to address these, both in the immediate and long-term,” he added.

Among the Cabinet members present were Education Secretary Armin Luistro, Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, Health Secretary Janette Garin, Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras, and Presidential Management Staff chief Julia Abad.

Malacañang has yet to release details on the specific issues tackled in the meeting and the proposed solutions to the lumads’ troubles.

IP groups from Mindanao or lumads are claiming that they were forced off their land because of militarization resulting from the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ anti-insurgency campaign.

There have been reports of killings and harassment allegedly perpetrated by paramilitary groups and soldiers.

READ: Lumad in gold-rich Mindanao targeted

However, the AFP has presented its own group of lumads who said that the New People’s Army (NPA) was responsible for the killings and attacks.

READ: NPA behind killings, claim lumad leaders

There is still no information on which group met with Aquino.

Last September, Inquirer reported that a paramilitary group in Surigao del Sur called Magahat-Bagani killed Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (Alcadev) school director Emerico Samarca, lumad leader Dionel Campus and his cousin Aurelio Sinzo. Campus was known for being active in advocating the protection of ancestral lands.

READ: Surigao Sur militia rampage: School director, 2 villagers dead

Surigao del Sur Governor Johnny Pimentel later claimed that the Magahat-Bagani paramilitary group, supposedly composed of around 30 heavily armed men, were created by the military for counter-insurgency.

READ: Militia in lumad killings: A monster created by military