Suspected NPA rebels kill Manobo chief in Agusan

BUTUAN CITY , Philippines  – Due to unsolved logging and mining interests that already killed many tribal leaders in Caraga region, because of alleged manipulations by wealthy wood traders in cahoots with corrupt concerned government agencies, a Manobo tribal chieftain was shot dead inside his home in Purok 11, Sitio Cusip, Bayugan 3, Rosario, Agusan del Sur Thursday evening, belated report from Agusan del Sur police said.

Official report from Caraga Police Regional Office identified the victim as Manobo tribal leader Diosdado Deleros Paw-as, 53, bearing his Manobo leader name as “Datu Cusip,” married and resident in said area.

Police claimed that some 20 fully armed men suspected to be New People’s Army rebels of the Front Committee 14 went to the house of the victim. Four of them knocked the door of the house of the victim while others including two NPA amazons roamed around the victim’s house.

Police report said the suspects shouted and ordered Cusip to come out.

Four armed suspects for­cibly entered Cusip’s house prompting the tribal leader to hack one of them in the arm.

The hacking forced other suspects to fire their guns, stunned and shocked family members of the victim who died on the spot sustaining gunshot wounds in different parts of the body.

According to Cusip’s wife, her husband prior to the shooting incident Thursday evening was hogtied. 

The armed men allegedly warned the victim of his alleged illegal logging activities and selling ancestral domain lands of which the victim vehemently denied saying it was his rivals among the tribes interested in his position who were allegedly engaged in illegal logging and mining activities.

According to close relatives, the victim wanted to divide properly the ancestral lands among tribal members to avoid further conflict of interests he suspected being financed by interested wealthy illegal loggers and miners posing as legitimate traders.

The victim has been heard many times complaining of the existence of mining activities in the area which had no government permits and environmental compliance certificates (ECC) but were tolerated the loss of millions of government revenues in connivance with some corrupt government personnel.

Cusip’s widow said, the armed men who continued to harass them forced Cusip’s family to transfer to a populated area in Rosario Poblacion for safety but on Thursday the family went back to Sitio Cusip for something and his death occurred.