ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro, former Bayan Muna party-list Representative Satur Ocampo, and 11 others were found guilty of child abuse.

Former Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate confirmed this on Monday, July 15, 2024. He said four others were acquitted.

The case was filed in 2018 in connection with the supposed rescue mission the group conducted following the alleged harassment on the lumad schools in Davao del Norte.

“Kung matandaan natin, itong mga lumad schools lalong lalo na yung sa Lugpungan schools during the previous administration ni Pangulong Duterte ay under attacks ito pinasara ang karamihan sa mga eskwelahang ito and during those week November of 2018 ay talagang hinaras sila ng mga paramilitary kaya naman sa halip na pupunta doon ang isang solidarity mission during those days ay ang nangyari ay naging rescue mission dahil nga hinaras na sila ng paramilitary,” Zarate said.

Zarate said they are set to appeal the court’s decision.

"Kailangang pag aralan pa ng ating abogado ang susunod na hakbang bagamat nagpahayag na ang mga abogado kanina na iaapela nila ang kasong ito at pag aaralan pa ang susunod na hakbang ng accused we will avail sa lahat ng remedy na available pa sa gma accused kasi kami ay naniniwala na talaga wala naman silang kasalanan," Zarate added.

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) has called for the dismissal of the case days before the court decision was released.

STATEMENT

In a joint statement, Ocampo and Castro said the court decision is 'unacceptable' and 'unjust.'

"This wrongful conviction speaks of the continuing persecution of those who are helping and advocating for the rights of Lumad children and the persistent attacks on Lumad schools and communities," reads part of the statement.

"The persons who are actually responsible for the forcible closure of the schools as well as the threats and harassment have never been investigated," the statement added.

The two said they will question the court decision, which they described as 'a clear miscarriage of justice.'

"We remain steadfast in our support for the indigenous schools and communities who continue to bear the brunt of the fascist attacks by the Marcos regime. We persist in our call that those who ordered and orchestrated the attacks against the Lumad schools, specifically former President Rodrigo Duterte and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), and endangered the lives of indigenous children must be brought to justice," the statement said.