“Support the Kahusayan People’s Struggle; Fight the impunity of landlords like Quiboloy!”

April 30, 2011


BAYAN-SMR PRESS STATEMENT on the Kahusayan People’s Struggle
Delivered at the culmination of the 3day “Lakbayan” (march protest) of the people of Kahusayan

“Support the Kahusayan People’s Struggle; Fight the impunity of landlords like Quiboloy!”

DAVAO CITY ---Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in Southern Mindanao Region (Bayan-SMR) unites with the tribesmen and community of slain Bagobo K’lata leader Datu Dominador Diarog in their struggle from the fierce attempts of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy to grab the land that is home to their tribe.

Their case is a classic struggle faced by the national minorities in the country who have, since time, been frequently victimized in various ways, but principally by attempts to evict them from the land on which they derive their means of living, their cultural values and life systems.

The death of Datu Diarog in 2008 was a tragic culmination of his almost decade of struggle in defense of the fertile agricultural land beneath Mt. Apo which is home to the Bagobo Klata tribe.

Since 1999, Quiboloy was able to occupy 5,000 hectares of land covering portions at the foot of Mt. Apo particularly in Brgy. Tamayong, Brgy. Manuel Guianga, Brgy. Sirib, and Brgy.Carmen in the City. These lands have either been converted into ‘prayer mountains,’ extravagant mansions, pine tree plantations, and just recently a gherkins (small cucumber) plantation is being planned in the area.

But Quiboloy was never successful in his attempt at fully taking over the land since Datu Diarog refused to yield their 5-hectare stead in Sitio Kahusayan, Brgy. Manuel Guianga in Tugbok District, which is within Quiboloy’s claim.

The Diarog’s land has been fenced off, their house burned, and Datu Diarog himself was talked into by Quiboloy’s men, one of them was identified by Diarog family members as a certain Greg Canada, to sell the land for P50,000, but still they persisted and held on to their land. Such harassment incidents preceded Datu Diarog’s death three years ago on April 29, 2008, when armed men strafed his house, killed him with armalite bullets and injured his wife and two children, including their then five-year-old daughter.

Since the Datu’s death, there was never a day that his family and his diminishing tribesmen in Sitio Kahusayan live away from coercions and brutal attempts of eviction.

Just on the second week of this month, three backhoes had been escorted to Sitio Kahusayan by military personnel from the 84th Infantry Battalion. A gherkins (small cucumber plantation is being planned right in the slain Datu's land in Sitio Kahusayan.) These soldiers have been deployed in the area for several months now as “Peace and Development Teams.”

Members of the Diarog clan have in several times, too, figured in the harassments perpetrated by these 'PDTs.’ Among these instances include being tagged as rebels, being recruited to be part of the PDT’s watch guards, the so-called “Peace and Development Watch Group,” or being sought out by the soldiers themselves.

The attacks never ended in Datu Diarog’s death; and neither did his surviving tribesmen’s resistance.

The place claimed by Quiboloy is not just the sacred ground of indigenous peoples whose protection are ensured in the very laws of the country and in international covenants, but a sacred conservation ground too, being part of the declared Mt. Apo protected area.

It is lamentable that amidst these deplorable incidents, we have yet to hear government institutions act on the matter: The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the City Government of Davao itself.

It is appalling that these institutions, by the very fact that Quiboloy has continued amassing of wealth, unhampered, is a tragic proof of their tolerance of such beastly deed. We have been calling on them for action, but it seems they too are rendered inutile.

This forces us to turn our appeals on the Davaoeńos. We call on you to rally behind our lumad brothers and sisters of Kahusayan; to rally in opposition to this blatant violation of human rights and dignities of lumad peoples who are our very own fellow Davaoeńos.

To fight on their side is to fight to end the impunity of these giant oppressors in our midst. (*)


For Reference:

FRANCHIE BUHAYAN
Secretary General
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Southern Mindanao Region (Bayan-SMR)
0999.195.3370