Senator Loren Legarda has urged the government to investigate the deaths of eight members of the Lumad tribe, who were fatally shot聽as they were harvesting their produce, in South Cotabato.
Legarda said Lumad chieftain Datu Victor Danyan and the others were reportedly shot dead by military聽forces in Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu last December 3.
鈥淚 seek justice for the death of these Lumads who were just doing their harvest for the day when they were killed,鈥澛燣egarda said in a statement聽on Saturday.
鈥淭his is an atrocious act that must be dealt with using the full force of the law. I urge authorities to investigate this聽incident and bring the perpetrators to justice,鈥� the senator said.
Citing news reports, Legards said that the military was claiming that the shooting was an 鈥渆ncounter鈥� between soldiers and Danyan鈥檚 group.
Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, 33rd Infantry Batallion, asserted that the Lumad served as 鈥測umil鈥� (yunit militar), or militia聽members of the New People鈥檚 Army (NPA).
搁贰础顿:听8 鈥榣umad鈥� slain in Cotabato clash not rebels, says leader
Legarda, however, noted that witnesses said it was a 鈥渕assacre,鈥� and that Danyan was not a member of NPA but聽an active community leader.
鈥漈he families of the victims and the Lumad community demand justice for the death of their kin and the disruption聽of peace in the entire community,鈥� Legarda said.
鈥淚 call on the government to urgently implement measures that would protect our indigenous peoples and put an聽end to these unwarranted killings,鈥� the senator said.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 /kga