10-year-old Lumad boy injured after a shooting in Bukidnon

Lumad group Kalumbay condemns the shooting incident of a 10-year-old child allegedly shot by private security forces in barangay Kawayan, San Fernando, Bukidnon at around 7am yesterday, November 5.

A report from Kalumbay shows that around 20 armed security guards arrived at the land cultivated by the lumads. These guards then started destroying the seedlings, prompting the Indigenous People (IP) in the area to defend their crops.

The group identified the suspect as “Totung”.

“The security guards started firing shots at the lumad and witnesses saw Totung fire at the boy, hitting him on his foot,” the group said.

Raol Kampoan, member of the council of lumad group Kasilo said Totung claimed the land to be his, but pointed out that the real owner of the land is their ancestors.

“Nag-claim lang siya pero wala man na nabaligya nga yuta,” he said. Kampoan said the boy was the only individual shot during the incident.

Kalumbay said it is “important to remember that President Rodrigo Duterte warned farmers against occupying barren lands, threatening to shoot farmers if they do so”.

“With martial law in place in Mindanao, both private and security armed groups are emboldened to carry out this blatant and vicious assault on the lumads who are just trying to feed their families,” the group adds.

The boy was immediately rushed to the hospital and is now safe, Kampoan said.