New Bataan massacre

New Bataan massacre
Candle-lighting protest condemning the New Bataan massacre, March 6. The candles spell out Hustisya!, Filipino for "Justice!"
DateFebruary 24, 2022 (2022-02-24)
LocationBarangay Andap, New Bataan, Davao de Oro, Philippines
Deaths7

The New Bataan massacre occurred when five Lumad teachers and community workers and their two drivers were killed in Barangay Andap, New Bataan, Davao de Oro, Philippines, on February 24, 2022. The ones who were killed were Chad Booc, Gelejurain "Jurain" Ngujo II, Elegyn Balonga, Tirso Añar, and Robert Aragon—collectively termed as 'New Bataan 5'.[1] Family members, advocacy groups and activists, and politicians[2] have described the event as a massacre, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines asserted that what happened was an encounter between the forces of New People's Army (NPA) and the 10th Infantry Division of the AFP.[1] The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said that there were no NPA units in the area at the time of the event.[3]

Background

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See also: Chad Booc
Placards calling for justice for New Bataan massacre victims.

Chad Booc, born on April 17, 1995, was a volunteer teacher and environmental advocate from Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV), an alternative school for Lumad children. He was a graduate of the University of the Philippines with a cum laude degree in Computer Science. He started being a volunteer teacher in 2016.[4] He was also known as an activist who shared on social media Lumad struggles against militarization and other hardships. He was red-tagged multiple times by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). He was arrested twice: first at the Batasang Pambansa in July 17, 2017, along with other youth, in protest against Martial Law in Mindanao under President Rodrigo Duterte, and second, in Cebu City on February 15, 2021, during a police raid against a Lumad sanctuary in University of San Carlos.[5] On May 14, the charges against Booc and six other teachers, datus, and students were dismissed and they were set free.[6]

Gelejurain "Jurain" Ngujo II was a graduate of Liceo de Davao – Briz Campus in Tagum City with a degree in Secondary Education majoring in English. After his graduation, he became a teacher at a Lumad school, the Community Technical College of Southeastern Mindanao (CTCSM).[4]

Elegyn Balonga was a community health worker from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines particularly in Haran, Davao City, which has served as a sanctuary for Lumads fleeing militarization from AFP and paramilitaries.[4]

Autopsy

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An autopsy was done on the body of Booc by forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel B. Del Rosario-Fortun on March 7, 2022, and the results were released by March 10. According to the preliminary findings, the manner of death was homicide and Booc suffered from "internal hemorrhages with lacerations of the lungs, diaphragm, liver, spleen, stomach, intestines, right kidney and right adrenal gland."[1] Fortun said that "there was an intent to kill. They sustained multiple gunshot wounds and on top of that, it looks like many things are being concealed."[7]

Citing the autopsy results as "overkill" Lumad advocacy group Save Our Schools Network called for the Commission on Human Rights, and other national and international independent bodies to “conduct a swift, impartial and thorough investigation of the New Bataan 5 massacre.”[1]

Reactions

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Atty. Antonio La Viña condemned the New Bataan massacre.
Tree planting commemoration for New Bataan massacre victims, April 6, 2022.

Greenpeace, on February 27, 2022, issued a statement of condemnation, decrying the red-tagging and killing of the 'New Bataan 5'.[8]

The University of the Philippines denounced the massacre on a statement released on March 7, 2022.[9] UP College of Engineering also called for justice.[10] Other student organizations, including UP Cebu University Student Council, also condemned the massacre.[3][11]

Former Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares also denounced the massacre, urging an impartial investigation. He also condemned the press releases of the AFP that paraded the dead bodies as NPA combatants.[2] According to Bagong Alyansa Makabayan Secretary General Renato Reyes, dissenters like Booc are not terrorists, contrary to the AFP claim.[3]

Atty. Antonio La Viña, who was the legal counsel of Save Our Schools and Booc,[12] also condemned the massacre.

Senator Leila de Lima called for further independent investigation on the matter. Vice presidential aspirant Senator Kiko Pangilingan said that impunity in the country must stop, after reading a placard demanding justice for New Bataan 5 at a campaign sortie.[12]

Protests were launched to condemn the massacre and the AFP. These include protests in UP Cebu on February 26[13] and UP Diliman on March 6.[11]

On April 4, 2022, commemorating forty days after the massacre, religious people, students, and other advocates conducted an ecumenical service and tree-planting ceremony in UP Diliman.[14] A day before, youth mass organizations such as Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, Anakbayan, and League of Filipino Students launched a surprise 'lightning rally' in front of Camp Aguinaldo to condemn the AFP.[15]

Karapatan called for an independent and impartial investigation, condemning the militarization of the Duterte administration and NTF-ELCAC. The group denounced continued red-tagging by the NTF-ELCAC through the massacre that happened.[16]

Groups such as the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines,[4] Anakbayan USA,[17] IBON Foundation[18] also condemned the massacre.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d IV, Antonio L. Colina (March 13, 2022). "SOS Network reiterates call for probe on death of New Bataan 5". MindaNews. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "For Bataan 5: Colmenares condemns killing of Lumad teachers, health worker". March 1, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Antonio, Josiah (February 27, 2022). "Groups condemn killing of Lumad school teacher Chad Booc, demand justice".
  4. ^ a b c d Secretariat, ICHRP. "Justice to the Victims of the New Bataan 5 Massacre! | International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines". Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  5. ^ "Who is Chad Booc, the activist arrested in Cebu with the Lumad?". RAPPLER. February 16, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  6. ^ "'Bakwit School 7' Free, All Charges Dismissed". AlterMidya. May 14, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  7. ^ Mangosing, Dempsey Reyes, Frances (March 12, 2022). "'Intent to kill': The Booc autopsy". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved April 21, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Greenpeace statement on the killing of New Bataan 5". Greenpeace Philippines. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  9. ^ "UP condemns killing of Lumad teacher Chad Booc". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  10. ^ Madarang, Catalina Ricci S. (March 3, 2022). "'Collective cry for justice': UPD College of Engineering condemns killing of Chad Booc". Interaksyon. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Groups Amplify Outcry for Justice For New Bataan 5 as Chad Booc is Laid To Rest". phkule.org. n.d. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Yang, Angelica Y. "De Lima calls for probe on deaths of New Bataan 5 victims". Philstar.com. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  13. ^ "Progressive grps want thorough investigation on killing of Booc, 'New Bataan 5'". INQUIRER.net. February 26, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  14. ^ LAGUNDA, KEVIN A. (April 4, 2022). "SOS Network, activists, students plant trees 40 days after deaths of Chad Booc, New Bataan 5". SUNSTAR. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  15. ^ "NAGSAGAWA ng kilos protesta...". Pinoy Weekly. 20 (10). Pinoy Media Center: 9. April 8, 2022.
  16. ^ "Karapatan calls for independent probe into massacre of Lumad volunteer teachers, community health worker in Davao de Oro | Karapatan". www.karapatan.org. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  17. ^ "Justice For New Bataan 5". Anakbayan USA. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  18. ^ Foundation, IBON (March 1, 2022). "IBON statement on the New Bataan 5 massacre". IBON Foundation. Retrieved April 21, 2022.

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