Panaghiusa denounces killing of Manobo farmer; calls for accountability
- Panaghiusa Philippine Network
- Jul 4
- 2 min read
The Panaghiusa Philippine Network to Uphold Indigenous Peoples’ Rights strongly condemns the killing of Elioterio Ugking, a 25-year-old Manobo farmer, inside the patrol base of the 9th Special Forces Company (SFC) in Km. 9, Sitio Simowao, Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur on June 6, 2025. This appalling incident reflects the continued state-sanctioned violence faced by Lumad communities and demands an urgent and transparent investigation.
We condemn the false narrative of the military that Ugking’s death was accidental. His fellow detainees and family strongly attest that he was mauled while his hands were tied. The attempt of the 9th SFC to silence the family through intimidation and bribery suggests a concerted effort to obstruct justice and conceal the truth.
This is not an isolated tragedy. It is the latest in a series of state-inflicted abuses targeting the Indigenous Peoples who courageously defend their land, identity, and collective rights. The Philippine justice system must not serve as a tool to shield perpetrators—it must act to protect those who have long been marginalized and violated.
Panaghiusa reaffirms its steadfast commitment to resisting all forms of human rights violations against the Indigenous Peoples. Our network—composed of Indigenous organizations and support groups—works to uphold the rights of the Indigenous Peoples to ancestral lands and self-determination. We actively challenge human rights violations, militarization, legal persecution, and cultural erasure.
Panaghiusa stands with the Indigenous Peoples and human rights defenders in urging the Commission on Human Rights and relevant bodies to conduct a thorough, impartial, and independent investigation into Ugking’s death and the wider context of military abuse in Lianga and surrounding communities.
We also call on civil society and international allies to amplify calls to pull out the military from Indigenous Peoples’ ancestral lands and for justice in Indigenous communities. The public must stand in solidarity with Lumad communities resisting displacement, coercion, repression, and human rights abuses.
Justice for Elioterio Ugking! Stop the militarization of Indigenous communities! End impunity! Defend Indigenous Peoples’ rights!
Reference:
Rikki Mae Gono
National Coordinator
Panaghiusa Philippine Network to Uphold Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
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