TUDLA Productions

The Matigsalob tribe (among the 18 tribes of Lumad people from Mindanao) from Dau village, San Fernando, Bukidnon staged a 'kampuhan' in front of the Provincial Government Hall of Bukidnon in Malaybalay. The 'bakwit' and kampuhan that started on March 14 is an organized evacuation to protest the killing of village captain Jimmy Liguyon, call for justice and against the threat of perpetrators Aldy "Butsoy" Salusad and his armed group NIPAR or New Indigenous People's Army for Reforms.

Liguyon, in their village council meeting on the morning of March 5, refused to sign the certification of SANMATRIDA or the San Fernando Matigsalob Tribal Datus Association, a cooperative applying to operate large-scale mining of gold in their area. Liguyon was killed afternoon of the same day. Butsoy and at least 11 other NIPAR men went to Liguyon's house and fired 5 shots at Liguyon, killing him instantly. Butsoy was heard by the son of Captain Jimmy Liguyon to remark that the death of Liguyon was due his refusal to sign the certification of SANMATRIDA. The (at least) 12 men present in the killing of Liguyon are still armed and at large.

Among the demands of the Lumad people of Dau is for the local government to immediately capture Butsoy and abolish the NIPAR, a group that Butsoy claimed to have formed to protect the Lumad people's ancestral land. The Lumad people remain at the kampuhan in the provincial capitol for fear of their life, after Butsoy has threatened to kill the whole Liguyon family and all other dissidents. The Lumad people also demand to stop the large-scale mining operations in their area, which will contribute to the destruction of the area and loss of gainful livelihood for the Lumad people in Dau, many of whom are small-scale miners.