A leader of the lumad community sought for the return of the International Criminal Court (ICC) jurisdiction over the Philippines to investigate the recent pattern of killings around the country by state forces.

Eufemia Cullamat, a former congresswoman under the Bayan Muna Partylist, claimed that the incident that happened in Toboso, Negros Occidental was not an isolated event, stating that other regions had faced similar acts of violence.

“Kapag ang pagpatay ay nangyayari sa iba’t ibang lugar at sa parehong paraan, hindi na ito simpleng pagkakamali–ito ay bunga ng mga patakarang panseguridad at kontra-insurhensiya na sistematikong nagta-target at kumokontrol sa mga komunidad,” she said.

(If the killings are happening in different areas and in similar manners, this is not a simple wrongdoing–this is brought by a security measure and a counter-insurgency measure that systematically targets and controls communities)

The armed conflict in Negros Occidental that reportedly happened last 19 April, led to the deaths of 19 inviduals, including two students whom were conducting community work around the area.

Aside from that clash, Cullamat also cited an incident that occurred at Zamboanga City where a 12-year old Moro child and a 16-year old Lumad student were slain during a joint military operation between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

She asserted that the killings were not separate occurrences and was instead a continuation of violence that was linked to practices under the previous administration.

“Kapag paulit-ulit ang ganitong mga kaso at sibilyan ang biktima, malinaw na may pattern ng karahasan na dapat panagutin,” she explained.

(When cases like these where civilians are the victims are repeated, it is clear that there is a pattern of violence that must be held accountable)

Cullamat said that it was crucial that the Philippines be once again placed under ICC jurisdiction as local mechanisms were severely limited in how it could hold individuals accountable for unlawful killings.

On Sunday, 26 April, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) announced that it was going to conduct an “independent investigation” into the incident on 19 April to identify if the individuals killed in the crossfire were rebels or civilians.

Malacañang, on the other hand, maintained that all victims of the conflict were supposedly armed based on the report of the AFP on the matter.