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People’s Tribunal tries GMA for crimes vs. Cordi peoples

BAGUIO CITY (Apr. 17) — The highlight of the 22nd Cordillera Day celebration is a People’s Tribunal where the people will air their grievances against the Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s government, the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) announced in a press conference on April 17 here.

Imelda Tabiando of Dinteg, the Cordillera Indigenous People’s Law Center said GMA will be tried for state terrorism and national oppression.

“This is an alternative event for the Cordillera people to bare the truth and call for justice,” added Tabiando.

There are nine cases although aggregated to seven major cases that will be tackled during the Tribunal. The cases are:

(1) The violation of the indigenous peoples’ ancestral land rights and livelihood resources;

(2) Commercialization of the indigenous culture through tourism;

(3) Violation of the economic rights of indigenous peasants by means of unequal trade policies and liberalization of agricultural produce;

(4) Government neglect of basic social services to indigenous people;

(5) Development aggression (imposition of destructive socio-economic projects such as mining and dams);

(6) Militarization; and

(7) Political repression.

CPA Secretary-general Windel Bolinget stated that some cases, along these general issues, were already filed or submitted to concerned government agencies and authorities.

Some examples, he gave include the heavy surveillance of the CPA office which the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) investigated; violations of the Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and IP land rights have been brought to the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP); and, the killings of political activists have been reported to the Commission of Human Rights (CHR). No action has yet been made by these agencies and authorities on the cases filed, he added.

Thus, the CPA resorts to the People’s Tribunal, wherein the end result will be a political verdict that will be adopted as the stand of the Cordillera peoples.

The people will directly participate in the tribunal where they will present various cases and evidence, supported by factual documentation as basis to render judgment, Tabiando said.

However, unlike the traditional tribunal, the means of presentation of these cases will be in cultural form –through dances, plays, songs, etc.

Tabiando says the verdict will be rendered by a panel of judges that consists of elders from different provinces, professionals, leaders from the basic sectors.

Bolinget stated that this is the 2nd people’s Tribunal. The first, was in 1989, where the accused was Conrado Balweg, leader of the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA). Balweg was tried for accomodating the total-war policy of the Aquino administration and for the 1987 abduction and murder of Daniel Ngayaan, then vice chairman of the CPA.# Christina Marie Llanes/MMSU Intern for NORDIS

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