“We will never forget what the police did to us,” said Josephine Pagalan, a Manobo from Caraga region and Spokesperson of Kahugpungan sa mga Lumad-Caraga (KASALU).
A police vehicle mowed through protesters and beat whoever they caught during a rally at the US Embassy on October 19 injuring several demonstrators where four were severely hurt including a 61-year-old Mamanwa. Around 50 protesters were injured, mostly due to mauling.
Tear gas was also fired in an attempt to disperse the rally.
Meanwhile, 42 were arrested but was released on the same day.
In a press conference a day after the violent dispersal at a US Embassy protest on October 19, Piya Macliing Malayao, Secretary General of Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (Katribu), recalled her experience during the dispersal.
“I vividly remember two things, the sound of the police vehicle’s engine and the sound of people being hit by the vehicle,” said Malayao while crying.
Malayao’s leg was run over by the rampaging police van and was prevented to be treated when paramedics who were supposed to assist her was assaulted by the police.
(Read Police van rampage at US embassy protesters, 50 hurt, 4 severely injured)
“We condemn the terrorist attack by the police during our protest at the US embassy,” said Jerome Aba of Suara Bangsamoro.
Aba added that they were peacefully conducting their program and was almost done when S/Supt. Marcelino Pedrozo, Jr. arrived and saw him order the police to disperse their ranks.
“We are dismayed at what the police showed. We Lumad thought that the police will protect the civilians, especially against criminals, but the police here in Manila are like criminals,” said Datu Jomorito Goaynon, Chairperson of Kalumbay, a network of indigenous peoples’ organizations in Northern Mindanao.
Goaynon added that the police are no different to the paramilitary who terrorize them in their communities.
The more than 3,000 national minorities from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are being hosted by University of the Philippines Diliman until October 21 for their Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya para sa Sariling Pagpapasya at Makatarungang Kapayapaan.
UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan also condemned the incident. He said that the national minorities are their visiting scholars at the university, their visiting professors who conducts lectures with the students, professors and employees in UP.
“We consider what happened yesterday as an insult to UP, and because UP is the national university, they insulted the nation,” said Tan.
Charges will be filed against the police involved in the violent dispersal according to Atty. Neri Colmenares, Chairperson of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL).
“We will file administrative cases for violations of the BP 880 at the Ombudsman and a criminal case of attempted murder,” said Colmenares.
Colmenares clarified that the law does not justify the violent dispersal even if the demonstrators had no permit to rally.
In Congress, Kabataan Partylist Representative Sarah Elago filed House Resolution 486 urging the House of Representatives to condemn the violent dispersal at the US Embassy and called on the House Committee on Human Rights to investigate the said incident.
In a statement, Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said that an investigation and full review is underway and necessary sanctions will be effected.
“Upon my instructions, RD, NCRPO, Chief Supt Oscar Albayalde has placed all officers involved in that particular police operation under administrative relief to ensure utmost impartiality of the investigation,” said the PNP chief.
Why rally to the US embassy?
Sandugo, a newly formed alliance of indigenous peoples and Moro for self-determination, marched to the US Embassy to call to end US intervention in the Philippines and support President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncements for an independent foreign policy.
According to Aba, they want an end to US domination which is the cause of the plunder of their ancestral lands and Bangsamoro territory.
“The US is also the reason for the violence in the country because of its war on terror. They accuse the Moro of being terrorists,” said Aba.
There are more than 400 Moro languishing in jail for more than a decade falsely accused of being a terrorist according to Aba.
“We are accused of being terrorists to justify the plunder of our resources,” said Aba.
In a separate interview, Aba said that they want the US military presence out of the Philippines and unequal treaties and agreement like the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) to be abrogated.
According to Renz Amparodo, a Tausug who used to work as a driver at the Camp General Navarro in Zamboanga City, the US troops are camped inside the Western Mindanao Command and has a separate compound within the camp which is restricted to Filipinos.
Amparodo recalled that during the military’s encounter with Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Sta. Barbara, Zamboanga City in 2013, he witnessed US troops participating in the operations.
On the other hand, around 86,000 hectares of land is already covered by cocoa, coffee and rubber plantations in Zamboanga peninsula, where products are mainly for export, according to Nenita Condesa, Secretary General of Salabukan, Nok G’taw Subanen (Unity of the Subanen People).
According to Condesa, most of the cocoa and coffee plantations are Nestle’s plantations spread in different municipalities in the peninsula.
“The result is hunger since we have fewer lands left to plant our crops,” said Condesa.
In Nestle’s website, it’s corporate profile shows that in its share capital distribution by geography, US based corporations/individuals are one of its majority shareholders.
According to Malayao, indigenous and Moro communities from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are being taken by big foreign corporations for mining, plantations, energy and dam.
“The people themselves must push for an independent foreign policy,” said Malayao.
Condesa said that the United State’s colonial rule should end.
“The Philippines can provide for its people, and our country can prosper if we are not dominated by foreign countries,” said Condesa.
In a separate statement, Malayao said that they are calling on Duterte to not only act against the perpetrators of the incident but also aid national minorities in their call against imperialist plunder and domination.
“Yes, the incident yesterday was a textbook example of police brutality, but we need to emphasize how in ancestral lands and communities, American imperialist proxy wars and plunder result to worse crimes against national minorities,” Malayao said.
Featured image by Ray Panaligan
