On This Day | Magahat-Bagani under 75th IBPA killed Lumad leaders, educator

[TAGALOG] Sa Araw na Ito | Magahat-Bagani sa ilalim ng 75th IBPA pinaslang ang mga lider-Lumad, guro

On September 1, 2015, paramilitary group Magahat-Bagani, operating under the 75th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, killed Campos, Sinzo, and Samarca in front of their communities in Lianga, Surigao del Sur. The killing of the three was an attack on the collective struggle of the Indigenous Peoples to defend ancestral lands, assert self-determination, and uphold their right to live in peace.

https://youtu.be/F7VkCLWP5IU

ZOOM IN | Eufemia Cullamat, former Bayan Muna Party-list Representative, recalls the Lianga Massacre and honors the lives of Dionel Campos, Datu Bello Sinzo, and Emerito Samarca during the “Pakigsantuya: 11 years of Impunity, One Continuing Struggle.” The forum was organized by KATRIBU, IPMSDL, Koalisyong Makabayan, Defend Talaingod 13, UPM Sigma Kappa Pi, AUPAEU Manila, and Katribu Youth, held at the University of the Philippines Manila, September 1, 2026.

The Lianga Massacre remains a painful reminder of the continuing violence faced by Lumad communities. It reminds us that justice has yet to be served, that perpetrators remain unpunished, and that the Indigenous Peoples continue to face threats and harassment for upholding their right to self-determination. Cullamat’s sharing is an inspiration to our continuing pakigsantuya (struggle) for Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

Today, this struggle finds resonance in the campaign to Defend Talaingod 13. The unjust decision against humanitarian workers, educators, and Indigenous Peoples’ rights advocates who sought to protect Lumad children from militarization is part of the same machinery of repression that claimed the lives of Campos, Sinzo, and Samarca. Just as the Lianga Massacre sought to silence Lumad leaders, the case of the Talaingod 13 seeks to criminalize solidarity with the Indigenous Peoples and humanitarian action.

Panaghiusa Philippine Network to Uphold Indigenous Peoples’ Rights (Panaghiusa) asserts that these struggles are bound together by a common thread of resistance. The blood spilled in Lianga and the unjust decision against the Talaingod 13 both represent systematic attempts to silence the Indigenous Peoples and advocates. They are part of the same pattern of red-tagging, forcible displacement, and militarization that continues to threaten the Indigenous Peoples across the Philippines. 

We honor the memory of Dionel Campos, Datu Bello Sinzo, and Emerito Samarca by carrying forward their struggle. We stand with Satur Ocampo, Rep. France Castro, Lumad teachers, and all those targeted in the Talaingod 13 case. Their courage reminds us that defending Indigenous Peoples’ rights is not a crime but a moral duty. 

Panaghiusa calls on the government to end militarization in Indigenous Peoples’ communities and uphold the rights enshrined in the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act and international human rights standards. We call on civil society, churches, schools, and communities to join us in amplifying the voices of the Indigenous Peoples. 

Justice must be pursued relentlessly, for without accountability, the cycle of violence will only deepen. Justice for the victims of Lianga Massacre! #