Submission
Rights
by The Philippines: Commission on
Human
STATEMENT OF THE COMMISSION ON HT]MAN RIGHTS OF
THE PHILIPPINES ON THE RIGTITS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES,
F'OR THE 42ND SESSION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL,
ANNUAL PANEL DISCUSSION ON RIGHTS OF' INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES (HRC RES. t8/8 AND 39/13, 18 SEPTEMBER 2019)
1.
The Commission on Human Rights of the Philipp,nes ('CHRP') would like to bring to the Council's
attention the current trend of harassment and attacks lodged against Lumad in the Philippines.
2.
"Lumad" is a Visayan term used to address the largest rndigenous group in the Philippines.l Lumad
communities often set up schools with altemative learning systems in geographically isolated and
the culture and tradition of
indigenous peoples ("lPs"), and include lessons in numeracy, literacy, carpentry, sewing, and
agriculture.2 The programs are implemented in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on
the Rights of lndigenous People ("UNDR|P") which guarantees the lP's right to form and govern their
own system of education and language based on their own culture.3
disadvantaged areas. The alternative learning systems are rooted in
3.
The current trend of "red{agging" Lumad schools, or of accusing Lumad schools of training students
indigenous children and makes the Lumad more
vulnerable to violent attacks and harassment. lncidents involving attacks and harassment of Lumad
to become Communist rebels, greatly affects
are as follows:
a
ln September 2015, during the conduct of a raid, paramilitary forces killed Manobo leaders
Dionel Campos and Juvello Sinzo, and Emerito Samarca, the school director of ALCADEV,
an award-winning school for Lumad youth in Han-ayan, Lianga, Surigao del Sur. Samarca
was found dead in a classroom, hogtied, stabbed and with his throat slit, while Campos and
Sinzo were reportedly gunned down in front of their community. The killings prompted the
Han-ayan residents to flee the community out of fear.4
b.
The CHRP condemned, through a press release, the government's order for the military to
"bomb Lumad schools' ln 2017,5 President Rodrigo Duterte claimed in his speech that
Lumad community schools served as training grounds for rebel members of the Communist
New People's Army. He declared that he would not hesitate to drop explosives should the
rRappler.com. "Inlbgraphic: Wtro are the Lumad?," 9 August 2017, httos://www.raopler.com/move-ol/178181infoeraphicJumad-indigenous-peoples (Last accessed: 27 August 2019).
rPhilstar.com (Jonathan de Satrtos), "For Lumad schools, even holding class is a struggle,"
July 2018,
httDs://wu[.Dhilstar.com,/headlines/2018/07ll l/183l7l64umad-schools-even-holding-class-strugsle
(Last accessed: 27 August 2019).
rlnquirer.net (Matthew Reysio-Cruz), "DepEd shuts dowtr
'Lumad' schools," 15 July 2019,
https://newsfufo.inquirer.neU I l4l 670/deped-shuts-down-s 5lumad-schools (Last accessed: 27 August
ll
55
2019).
tl
aPhilstar.com (Jonathan de Sar os), "For Lumad schools, even holding class is a struggle,"
July 2018,
httos://www.philstar.com,/headlinesl20l8/07ll I / 183 l7l6flumad-schools-even-holding-ctass-struqgle
(Last accessed: 27 August 2019).
5Philstar.com,
"Dutefie theatens to
bomb Lumad schools," 25
J,rly
httpsr/wwu.pbilstar.com/headlines/2017l07/25l1721634/duterte-thrcatens-bomb-luEad-schools
accessed: 27 August 2019).
201'1,
(Last
Please
,@^
recycle\5d