NBI-NPS team formed for separate probe on Lumad slays

By , MARK MERUEÑAS, GMA News

Published September 24, 2015 11:17am

(Updated 4:15 p.m.) The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the National Prosecution Service (NPS) are set to probe the recent spate of Lumad killings in Mindanao.

This was disclosed Thursday by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who said that she has ordered the creation of a joint team from the NBI and the NPS upon orders from Malacañang.

"I received a memorandum from the Executive Secretary directing the Department of Justice to immediately investigate the alleged transgressions against indigenous peoples," De Lima said during a program for the 118th founding anniversary of the DOJ.

Among those covered by the separate probe would be incidents involving Lumads in the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Haran in Davao City, in Talaingod in Davao del Norte, in Pangantucan in Bukidnon, and in Lianga in Surigao del Sur.

Later in the day, it was learned that NBI Deputy Director Edmund Arugay was named head of the NBI-NPS team.

From the NPS, the members are Assistant Prosecutors Arnold Magpantay, Benjamin Samson, Marmarie Satin-Vivas, Mary Jane Sytat and Rohairah Lao.

The NBI team is composed of Asst. Regional Director Roel Bolivar, Special Agent Darwin Camilo Lising, Agent Ruel Dugayon, Special Investigator III Vonbar Luisma, SI III Jonathan Balite, SI III Geraldo de Luna, acting Assistant Regional Director Jerry Abiera, Special Investigator IV Danilo Cabanlet, Special Agent Ferdinand Balduman, and SI III Gabriel Falcon.

The team was directed to make regular reports to De Lima and submit a final report of its findings and recommendations within 60 days or two months from the date of the issuance of the Department Order.

The team was tasked to gather, review, and evaluate the following sources of testimonial, documentary and object evidence:

official reports and other documentations on the incidents made by the police, military, local government units, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Commission on Human Rights, Department of Interior and Local Government, and Department of Social Welfare and Development;
reports and documentations from NGOs, people's organizations, church-based groups, IP communities, and local media;
testimonies and affidavits of witnesses taken by the various government agencies. The team shall also undertake its own clarificatory interviews of the witnesses;
scene of the crime operatives (SOCO), medico-legal, autopsy, and ballistic reports.

De Lima earlier suggested the creation of an independent inter-agency body apart from the one currently being done by the Commission on Human Rights and the one to be launched by the House of Representatives.

On Thursday, De Lima said she was already considering the NBI-NPS team as the "independent, inter-agency" group she had earlier suggested to be formed. The Justice secretary said while the DOJ, NBI and NPS are all under the executive department, their investigation would be "objective."

Firearms, financiers

De Lima said the joint team would also be checking where the armed men are getting their firearms from to harass or drive away Lumads from their communities.

"Mayroon bang nagfi-finance sa kanila? Mayroon bang nagpo-provide sa kanila ng armas? Kasi there are those who say they could be some of the mining companies. Mayroon ding theory na baka left mismo din ang naga-arm sa kanila.

"But of course, these are all theories. Kailangan ho natin i-dig deeper because if we do not do that... we might not see the end of all these series of violent incidents which caused so much displacement among the Lumads," she added.

Asked if there was a need to pull out the military from Lumad communities, De Lima said: "Kailangan muna kasi i-evaluate. Ide-determine what is the real state of affairs there."

She said that while the Armed Forces of the Philippines has a mandate to provide inetrnal security in areas where rebel groups are suspected to be in, there is a need to determine the extent of the military presence. "Is it justified? Kasi puwede namang justified iyong ganoon. But pwede ring hindi, puwede ring parang nasobrahan," she said.

Killings

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes earlier said De Lima had told them that murder and arson charges have been filed against the suspects in the killing of three Lumad leaders in Surigao del Sur.

Meanwhile, Reyes said no cases have so far been filed over the so-called Paquibato massacre, or the killing of a tribal leader and two church workers by the military in Davao City last June, as well as the killing of five Lumads in Bukidnon.

The complaints over the Paquibato killings remained pending with the Davao City prosecutor.

Several groups have tagged the military in the recent killings and other atrocities against the indigenous people in Mindanao, including the Sept. 1 killing of three Lumads in Lianga, Surigao del Sur.

The Lianga killings were allegedly perpetrated by Mahagat/Bagani Force, a paramilitary group allegedly trained and equipped by the Armed Forces. The military said the group is not under its command and control.

The Philippine Army has said the Lumad deaths were the result of a tribal conflict between groups affiliated with the New People's Army and a group that is against the communist rebels. — RSJ, GMA News

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