Amihan calls for justice for Tumandok mass killing victims
Manila, Philippines – The Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women condemned the brutal mass killing of nine (9) leaders and members of Tumandok nga Mangunguma nga Nagapangapin sa Duta kag Kabuhi (TUMANDUK) by synchronized police and military operations led by the 12th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA) and Philippine National Police Region 6 in the towns of Garangan, Masaroy, Acuna, Tacayan, Rosevelt, Lahug, and Aglinab in Capiz province last December 30, 2020.
The group expressed support to the peasant women, mothers, children and widows of the killed Tumandok indigenous peoples leaders, who are now grieving and engrossed in terror and trauma. They were forced to flee their communities due to fear for their safety amid massive militarization.
The narrative of Analyn Giganto, husband of slain leader of TUMANDUK Roy Giganto, and a barangay councilor of Barangay Lahug in Tapaz town, Capiz exposed the brutal killing of government armed forces of helpless farmers and indigenous peoples who are asserting their rights to ancestral lands, self-determination and against anti-people projects such as Jalaur mega-dam.
Analyn Giganto spoke to an online press conference hosted by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and Sandugo indigenous peoples movement held this morning and accounted the following:
“Noong Disyembre 30, alas 4 ng madaling araw, mahimbing kaming natutulog, 8 kami sa pamilya, nang biglang may pumasok sa aming bahay. Pwersahang binuksan ang pinto at sumigaw ng ‘Assault! Assault!’ at may tatlong (3) kalalakihan na umakyat sa kwarto namin. Hinawakan ako ng isang lalaki habang dalawang lalaki ang humawak sa asawa ko. Tinanong sila ng asawa ko kung bakit may ganitong pangyayari at sumagot silang may kaso siya.
Pinalabas ang lahat ng tao sa bahay habang nagmamakaawa akong ‘wag nilang kunin ang asawa ko dahil maliliit pa ang mga anak namin at sinabi ko sa kanila na kung may kasalanan man siya, dalhin siya sa husgado at hatulan. Hindi nila pinakinggan ang aking pagmamakaawa. Pwersahan nila akong inilalabas ng bahay pero pinipilit kung manatili para samahan ang asawa ko. Sumunod nito, pinagbalingan naman nila ang tatlong taon naming anak, nagmakaawa ang asawa ko at sambit niya’y, ‘wag niyong galawin ang anak ko, hindi pa niya alam ang nangyayari. Kung ako ang may kasalanan sana ako na lang, wag niyo lang akong patayin.
Pagkatapos nito, pwersahan nilang kinuha ang asawa ko sa higaan namin at dinala sa sala. Habang ako, pwinersa nila akong ilabas ng bahay pero pinilit ko pa ring manatili
sa pinto kahit naiipit na ako. Tuluy-tuloy pa rin akong nagmamakaawa sa kanila.
Sambit ng isang lalaki na matigas ang ulo ng asawa ko at pagkatapos, nasaksihan
kong binaril nila si Roy, kitang-kita ng aking dalawang mga mata ang pangyayari
hanggang sa matumba siya. Narinig ko pang sinabi ng isang lalaki na ‘Bakit hindi niyo sinisipa?’ at ‘Clear na.'”
As Analyn continued her pleas, an unidentified woman approached her and pointed her gun at her head and said “Kanina ka pa maingay.” Analyn answered that,”Pareho tayong babae , sana kung ano ang naramdaman ko, naramdaman mo rin, kung mangyari sa’yo iyon, ganon din sana ang maramdaman mo.”
Moreover, as they were all lying on the ground, the armed forces pointed their guns at them and threatened to shoot those whoever move. At around 8 in the morning, Analyn’s one-year old baby was crying for milk, she tried to go inside her house to make milk but was barred by the perpetrators and threatened to be handcuffed. At around 10am, they took Giganto’s body out of the house, covered in a blanket and was taken by a helicopter somewhere. Later, their house was planted with guns and grenades.
Pamanggas Panay said that aside from Roy Giganto, the other eight victims of extra-judicial killings were:
Reynaldo Katipunan;
Mario Aguirre;
Maurito Diaz, Sr.;
Eliseo Gayas, Jr.;
Artilito Katipunan;
Jomar Vidal;
Dalson Catamin; and
Rolando Diaz.
“We urge the Filipino people to condemn the worsening cases of extra-judicial killings, illegal arrest and detention of farmers, peasant women and Tumandok indigenous people . We demand justice for all the victims of political persecution under the Duterte government. We must unite and oust the number one human rights violator in the country,” ended by Zenaida Soriano, Amihan National Chairperson. ###
