IBON seeks justice for slain Lumad teachers, 3 others

Research group IBON Foundation condemned the killing of volunteer Lumad school teachers Chad Booc and Jurain Ngujo, health worker Elgyn Balonga and their two drivers, and said the military responsible for their deaths should be held accountable.

“The activists killed were not just providing education and health services to otherwise neglected Lumad communities – they were also supporting struggles against corporate encroachment on ancestral land and its attendant militarization. The two drivers were just helping transport them,” the group said in a statement.

“We decry the government’s so-called anti-terrorism campaign which is being used to put down struggles to assert rights, social justice and development…. We demand justice for them and holding the military who killed them accountable,” it added.

The 10th Infantry Division claimed the five were killed in an encounter in New Bataan, Davao de Oro on Thursday, February 24.  

Several groups condemned the killing and said the victims were not rebels.

IBON said Booc helped publish a book on the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV) being its volunteer teacher.

IBON said it has been working with the teachers, students and communities of ALCADEV and other Lumad schools for years to develop curriculums appropriate to their circumstances.

“These build on traditional and indigenous agriculture, health, and other practices. We have also sought to learn from their rich experience in forging educational and community schemes aspiring for social justice and genuine sustainability. Academics from urban centers and development workers from abroad have seen what ALCADEV has built,” it said.

In a book it published last year, “Lahutay: A Path to Sustainability,” IBON said Booc gave his insights about how education can be a tool for the development of the Lumad community.

“He contributed illustrations and photos of the school’s daily life and struggles. He also proudly shared students’ artworks, anecdotes and quotes. These were all vital to bringing Lahutay to life and giving a glimpse into the richness of their collective struggles,” IBON said.

“Chad wanted the Lahutay launch last year to be an opportunity to gather ALCADEV teachers, students, alumni and advocates, many of whom had not seen one another since intense militarization forced the school to close. He meant for the book to keep the wider ALCADEV community together for its higher aspirations,” it added.—LDF, GMA News