AFTER a long period of waiting, the force of the law has finally come down on the leftists who victimize indigenous people (IP), especially the youth.
For indigenous people leaders in Mindanao, the day the Regional Trial Court Branch 2 in Tagum City, Davao del Norte issued its verdict against the leftists, including ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro and former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, is a day of celebration.
They have been found guilty of child abuse or violation of Republic Act 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.
This stems from an incident in 2018 where Castro, Ocampo, and others were caught transporting 14 underage Indigenous youth from Talaingod, Davao del Norte.
Previously, the court had dismissed the defendants’ defense claiming that recruiting Indigenous youth was part of their educational mission.
According to a statement issued by the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Council of Elders and Leaders (MIPCEL) and the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Youth Organization (MIPYO), they believe this victory is not only for Indigenous people but for all Filipinos who believe in democracy.
In an interview, Datu Allan Causing, the ancestral domain management officer in Talaingod, shared that one IP leader was moved to tears of joy because justice has been served.
“The tribal leaders are very happy. Bae Pilar Libayao, our IPC leader, is very happy. Because of her joy, she cried. Because of her happiness that those two who caused trouble to the Obu Manuvu have been convicted,” said Datu Allan Causing, Ancestral Domain Management Officer.
“The IPs, the tribal leaders are very happy that justice has been served against the two people, not just two people but including their companions, other groups of leftists who have been given justice for their trouble caused to us,” he added.
Meanwhile, Datu Allan reiterated the exploitation done by Castro and Ocampo, along with other leftist groups, in taking Indigenous youth as tools.
“Here they took the youth through their established school – Salugpungan… They took the youth here then they are taking them in different places. Then they did not allow their parents and IPs, the underage, yet,” he added.
“Many of them took it here and they transported to other places to make it a commander,” he added.
Bawan Jake Llanes, meanwhile, believed that this success would be a strong basis for catching other criminals who hid behind the government and legal front organizations of the CPP-NPA-NDF.
“It will be a precedent or there will be a legal basis to go after and unmask, strip off the masks of other cadres of the CPP who are hiding and masquerading as human rights defenders,” according to Bawan Jake Llanes, Executive Director, MIPCEL.
In the end, Datu Allan is very grateful to the national government, especially to the NTF-ELCAC, for their continued assistance to their sector, particularly against the communist terrorist groups.
“We, MIPCEL, MIPYO, are grateful to the national government, particularly to the NTF-ELCAC, for their relentless assistance to us in seeking justice for the disruptions they are causing in the ancestral domain of the Ata Manuvu,” said Allan Causing.
