Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas strongly condemns the unjust conviction of Palaw’an Bener Rimbunan and Awing Lumpat, along with four other rights defenders, by the Puerto Princesa Regional Trial Court Branch 51. We demand the immediate reversal of this wrongful decision issued on December 12, 2024.
Collectively known as the Palawan 7, Rimbunan, Lumpat, Antonio Molina, Glendhyl Malabanan, Ronces Paraguso, Jenny Bautista, and Joemelito Tanilon were illegally arrested on October 4, 2019, on trumped-up charges of illegal possession of explosives and explosive devices. At the time, they were conducting a humanitarian mission to investigate reported military abuses in Palawan communities. The arrests were based on fabricated warrants, a clear violation of their rights. Tragically, Antonio Molina succumbed to health complications in November 2021 while in detention, passing away at the age of 67.
Rimbunan and Lumpat, both Indigenous peasant farmers from Quezon and Brooke’s Point in Palawan, are members of Bagong Tinig ng Katutubo sa Palawan (BAGTIK), an organization under Bigkis at Lakas ng mga Katutubo sa Timog Katagalugan (BALATIK), Katribu’s regional chapter in Southern Tagalog. Their case highlights the broader plight of the 85 Indigenous Peoples political prisoners currently reported across the Philippines.
The conviction of the six rights defenders forms part of a disturbing and systematic pattern of human rights violations by state forces targeting Indigenous Peoples and those who defend their rights. These violations include illegal arrests, extrajudicial killings, harassment, and intimidation, all aimed at suppressing voices that expose state-sponsored human rights abuses and advocate for justice.
Katribu remains steadfast in its commitment to defending the rights and welfare of Indigenous Peoples and challenging the systemic injustices they face. We stand in solidarity with Rimbunan, Lumpat, Malabanan, Paraguso, Bautista, and Tanilon, and we urge the local court in Palawan to overturn its unjust decision.
We call on allies, human rights organizations, and the international community to unite in condemning these injustices and amplifying the call for accountability. Together, let us demand the immediate release of Rimbunan, Lumpat, and their companions and ensure justice for all victims of state oppression.
Read Karapatan Southern Tagalog’s Statement: https://bit.ly/4foW9q2
Comments