Philippines: Lumad teacher and community-based defender arrested
Event- Country
- Philippines
- Initial Date
- Jul 17, 2022
- Event Description
A Lumad teacher was arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday, July 17, according to human rights group Karapatan-Caraga.
Gary S. Campos, a Lumad-Manobo, was on his way to a review center to prepare for the upcoming licensure examination for teachers when he was arrested in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur, the group said in an alert.
Campos was able to call his friends from a police station in Butuan and told them that he was arrested. The group said the police reportedly presented a warrant of arrest but the charges are yet to be disclosed as of this writing.
Save Our Schools Network denounced Campos saying that this is “another attempt by state agents to repress Lumad youth who have been proactive in giving back to their communities.”
“Even after his administration has ended, Duterte’s terror persists and has been passed down to the current, including, among other things, extensive trumped up charges, unlawful detentions, and other human rights violations,” the group said in a statement.
Campos, is a graduate of Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS) and Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV). He also finished his education degree at St. Theresa’s College-Tandag through the help of the Indigenous Peoples Apostolate scholarship program of the Diocese of Tandag.
Karapatan-Caraga said Campos volunteered as a teacher in TRIFPSS after his graduation to serve back to the community.
He currently volunteers as a teacher at a local school in Tandag City under the Department of Education.
Campos is also a member of Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Sumusunod (MAPASU), a Lumad organization at the forefront in defending the Andap Valley Complex against foreign, large-scale coal mining.
“We call on all student and Indigenous peoples’ rights advocates to stand with Gary and seek accountability from the terror being unleashed by the Duterte-Marcos regime,” the group said.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Community-based HRD
- Indigenous peoples' rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 9.07922971207477
Longitude: 126.1983503688885
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 17 July 2022, Gary S. Campos, Lumad indigenous rights defender and community teacher active in opposing mining projects, was arbitrarily arrested by the police without charges being disclosed in Tandag City, the Philippines.