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Groups seek justice for Kalinga tribal leader

BAGUIO CITY (June 16) — Several local and international groups, including the provincial command of an underground armed group, expressed concern over the murder of Kalinga peace pact holder Rafael Markus Bangit, the 682nd activist killed under this administration.

The groups all condemned the killing of Bangit and that of other politically keen individuals and assailed the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the spate of murders of activists and innocent civilians.

Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) chairperson Joan Carling announced that it has received messages of condolences in behalf of the Bangit family, from its international partners, among them the Friends of the Earth-Japan, members of Filipijnen Grupen Belgie, a Belgian Filipino solidarity group, Bayan-USA, Korean-Asian NGO Center, and the Yon Ghe Community University of Taiwan. Carling said CPA is hoping to receive more.

Philippine Indigenous Peoples’ Link (PIPLink), a London-based IP support group, also emailed its statement of concern, Carling said.

Meanwhile, the Lejo Cawilan Command (LCC) of the New People’s Army (NPA), which sent an statement to the Bangit family called on all Cordillerans to wage fetad (tribal people’s war) against the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) administration as it condemned the murder of LCC holds the GMA government “criminally liable” for the “mass murder” of progressive leaders and members.

Honorable death of a tribal peacemaker

Bangit was gunned down on June 8 at a stopover in San Isidro, Echague, Isabela. Gloria Casuga, Bangit’s co-passenger, was also killed in the same incident.

Bangit belonged not only to the Malbong tribe but also of the Naneng, Salegseg and Sumadel tribes. He was the coordinator of the CPA Elders Desk and secretary-general of the Binodngan People’s Organization (BPO), among others.

He helped build many organizations of elders in several Cordillera provinces, among them are Am-a ya Inna ay Nanakem (Am-in) of the Abra-Ilocos-Mountain Province tri-boundary, the inter-provincial Movement for the Advancement of Inter-tribal Unity and Development (MAITUD) and Metro-Baguio Tribal Elders and Leaders Assembly (MBTELA), aside from his own BPO and tribal work among several Kalinga tribes.

Joe Cawiding of MBTELA recognized Bangit’s skills at peace-making and organizing tribal leaders. “His experience at tribal conflict resolution in Kalinga earned for him the respect of other Cordillera tribesmen,” Cawiding said, adding that Bangit earned his position as coordinator of the CPA elders’ desk

Several tribes, among them the Malbong, Naneng, Salegseg and Sumadel, which traced blood relations to Bangit, came to pay him respects during his wake in Tomiangan and offered spiritual, material and financial support and comforted the Bangits. Basi, Kalinga wine from sugar cane, and other native things for the burial rites came from several communities.

Eulogies for a fallen colleague

On the day Bangit was interred in Tomiangan, Dupag, Tabuk, Kalinga on June 15, his colleagues in Baguio City held a tribute to honor his selfless service to the people as they demand justice for all victims of human rights violations. Separate tributes for Bangit were also staged last June 13 in Sagada, Mountain Province and last June 11 in Tabuk, Kalinga.

Atty. Randy Kinaud of the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) said he realized that the fight for justice should not be limited to the legal justice system. He said Bangit’s death will be an additional challenge to human rights lawyers. “As in many other cases, we will not be able to bring legal justice to the victims since no witness comes out because of fear,” he said. Kinaud added that Bangit’s death inspired him to continue serving the people.

Earlier this week people’s organizations staged various forms of protest actions condemning the murder of Bangit.

Despite heavy rains on June 9, an indignation rally was held in Baguio City, where the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) and other organizations. The activity ended with a candle lighting ceremony.

No independence

Even on June 12 activities were focused on human rights violations and the killing of the Cordillera tribal leader. In Baguio City, a protest march and program highlighted speeches showing no independence and democracy amid poverty and heightening human rights violations in Cordillera countryside and urban centers.

The Knights of Columbus Zubieta Council based in Tabuk offered a mass at the St. Joseph Church in Tabuk on June 12. Bangit was an active member. Several Kalinga personalities including former Kalinga Congressman and Founding Chairperson of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance William Claver, Bishop Renato Abibico of the Anglican Church, the Kalinga-Apayao Religious Association (KARSA) and the Knights of Columbus condemned the killing of Bangit during the necrological service.

After the mass, relatives, friends, Tabuk residents and colleagues joined the funeral march in Tabuk to express the outrage of the Cordillera mass movement over political killings and to demand justice for Bangit and all victims of human rights violations. The march ended with a short program at the Tabuk Municipal Hall in Dagupan.

Widow seeks justice through tribal peace

Bangit’s death was not a result of a tribal conflict, Augustina Bangit, his wife, reiterated to Kalinga tribesmen during the last funeral rites in Tomiangan. She called on tribesmen to uphold the ideals by which Bangit lived for.

“Ti trabaho ni Makoy ket kontra iti tribal war, isunga saan tayo koma nga idalan iti tribal war ti hustisya a birbiruken tayo iti ipapatayna,” (Makoy worked against tribal war so I ask you not to utilize tribal war to get justice for his death) Agustina said. She feared for his three sons’ life referring to the revenge in traditional tribal wars. “Saan a tribal war ti impapatay ni Makoy,” (Makoy did not die because of a tribal war) Agustina stressed.

“Arroyo is grossly mistaken if she thinks that the revolutionary and the open mass movement will cower in fear. The Arroyo regime’s terrorist rampage and slaughter of unarmed civilians will only intensify the people’s legal and armed struggle, “the NPA’s LCC statement read.

The said statement reiterated that the escalating extra-judicial killings and gross human rights violations perpetrated by the present administration would only drive more people to take up arms and fight the “illegitimate and despicable government”. # Kim N. Quitasol and Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS, with reports from CPA-PIC

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