Philippines: 7 anti-mining leaders arrested

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) joined various organizations in denouncing the Duterte regime and its armed forces for the unlawful arrest of anti-mining leaders Datu Reynaldo Ayuma and six other Lumads at Purok 6, Barangay Blanco, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental on June 26.

“The Party calls on local and international environmentalist and human rights advocates to look into the escalating incidents of abuses perpetrated by the Duterte fascist regime against anti-mining communities while fast-tracking the enactment of the fascist Anti-Terror Bill (ATB),” stated Marco L. Valbuena, Information Officer, Communist Party of the Philippines.

The victims were arrested during the conduct of a raid by the joint elements of the police, military and local barangay officials in the said community at around 3:30 a.m.

Ayuma and his companions are not members of the New People’s Army (NPA), contrary to the claims of the military and police.

Arrested with Ayuma were Lumads Pablita Hilogon, Glenn Hilogon, Bambi Hilogon, Toto Hilogon, Jun-Jun Ayoman, and Jesson Langka, all members of the Kalumbay Lumad Organization. The victims were originally from Sitio Camansi, Barangay Banglay in Lagonglong town, and were among residents who evacuated from the said community in 2018 due to intense military operations and attacks against them.

The victims have long been subjected to red-tagging and harassment by the regime’s National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), because of their leading their community’s opposition against expansion plans of multinational companies in the area.