A local court in Tagum City, southern Philippines, has faced condemnation from the human rights sector after convicting 14 Indigenous People’s rights defenders, including prominent lawmakers.
On July 15, Tagum Regional Trial Court Branch 2 sentenced ACT Teachers Party Representative France Castro, former Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo, and former volunteer teachers for Indigenous schools in Mindanao to a maximum of six years, eight months, and one day in prison each.
The case originated from an incident in November 2018 when Castro, Ocampo, and others undertook a mission to aid Lumad schools in Talaingod, Davao del Norte, which the local police claimed endangered 14 children by making them walk for hours instead of providing transport.
The local court labeled the 2018 humanitarian mission as “child abuse.” In his ruling, Judge Jimmy Boco said the accused have, “by their negligent actions, exposed vulnerable children to unnecessary risk.”
In a joint statement, Ocampo and Castro expressed that the decision reflects the ongoing persecution of advocates for Lumad children’s rights and the continued assaults on Lumad schools and communities.
“The persons who are actually responsible for the forcible closure of the schools as well as the threats and harassment have never been investigated,” the statement read.
Ocampo and Castro claimed that former President Rodrigo Duterte and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) orchestrated the attacks against the Lumad schools and should be brought to justice.
They described the court ruling as “a clear miscarriage of justice,” adding that they would contest the decision “in all venues possible.”
Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan, said the “unjust verdict” of Judge Boco “shows that even courts of law are increasingly being weaponized against human rights defenders.”
Palabay criticized the court ruling, pointing out the stark double standard in the justice system where the wealthy and influential are often acquitted, while advocates for the rights of the Lumad and other vulnerable groups continue to face violations.
“We know that this temporary setback will not deter Ka Satur, Rep. Castro, and others in the human rights community from persevering in the collective struggle for truth, justice, Lumad, and people’s rights,” she said.
