Mariing kinondena ng Gabriela Women's Party ang paghatol ng Davao del Norte Regional Trial Court Branch 2 kina ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro, dating Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo at iba pa ng “child abuse” kaugnay ng kasong isinampa laban sa kanila noong 2018.
Nito lamang Lunes, Hulyo 15, nang hatulan ng korte sina Castro, Ocampo, walong mga guro ng Salugpungan Ta 'Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center, dalawang miyembro ng Alliance of Concerned Teachers, at iba pa ng paglabag sa Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act dahil umano sa “pag-kidnap” ng 14 kabataan sa Talaingod, Davao del Norte noong 2018.
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Samantala, iginiit naman ng Gabriela na biktima lamang ang mga akusado ng pag-uusig ng estado dahil sa kanilang pagsisikap na iligtas ang mga estudyanteng Lumad mula sa mga pananakot at pangha-harass.
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“This is not only unacceptable but a glaring manifestation of the persisting culture of injustice today,” pahayag ng Gabriela.
“The circumstances of their arrest and detention in 2018 were marked by irregularities and clear violations of their rights. This conviction is a blatant attack on those who stand in solidarity with indigenous communities and their right to education.”
Bukod dito, kinondena rin ng women’s party ang nagpapatuloy na pag-atake sa mga paaralang Lumad at ang kriminalisasyon ng mga pagsisikap na magbigay ng edukasyon sa mga marginalized sector.
“The closure of over 200 Lumad schools under the Duterte regime, and now this conviction demonstrates a continuous assault on indigenous peoples' rights and their access to education,” giit ng Gabriela.
“It is alarming that while activists and educators face unjust convictions, those responsible for the forcible closure of schools and threats against the Lumad community remain uninvestigated. We demand accountability from former President Rodrigo Duterte and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for endangering the lives of indigenous children.”
“We stand in solidarity with the Talaingod 18 and all victims of political persecution and call for the dropping of all trumped-up charges,” saad pa nito.
