Killing IPs during IP month

This October is Indigenous People’s Month and the 23rd year of the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA). While we are observing this significant event, an Indigenous People Mandatory Representative (IPMR) was killed just recently by New People’s Army. This incident once again manifested the barbaric act of this rebel group among IPs and their failure to respect and honor the IPRA.

Why did they kill an IP leader? Because he supported the passage of the Anti-terrorism Act of 2020? For delivering a statement against the NPA and other party-list groups? For supporting the Department of Education schools for replacing the Lumad schools and for supporting the NTF-ELCAC? Or are they killing IPs to advance their struggle against the government? Killing helpless civilians is an act of cowardice of their organization.

The communist rebels’ threats are alarming and getting serious and this is not the first time the killings happened to IPs.

Aside from killing, they are also recruiting IPs to join their movement. According to the military in Central Luzon, there were 140 former rebels who surrendered to the government from 2016-2020 that belong to IP communities. How many IPs were recruited by this rebel group? Is this not enough for us to act and join the IPs in supporting efforts of the government in condemning these terrorists?

These violent incidents need to be urgently and properly investigated and addressed – we cannot allow this to happen again, we cannot afford to lose another life, thus in this month-long celebration of IP Month and IPRA, let us stand in solidarity in supporting IPs in their call for correcting injustices for their rights and welfare, in preserving their rich cultures and traditions and in their struggle to defend their ancestral lands and protect and preserve life as well. – Enrico Dulay, Norzagaray, Bulacan