Philippine bishop condemns campaign trail shooting
April 28, 2022 · By Joseph Peter Calleja, Manila for www.ucanews.com
Presidential candidate Leody de Guzman has narrow escape as five indigenous people are wounded in land dispute protest
Vice President Leni Robredo (right) greets other presidential candidates Leody de Guzman (left) and senator Manny Pacquiao on the sidelines of a presidential debate in Manila on Feb. 27. (Photo: AFP)
Philippine bishop condemns campaign trail shooting
A Catholic bishop in the Philippines has condemned a shooting in which five indigenous people were wounded while being accompanied by a presidential candidate to occupy what they claimed was ancestral land.
The incident reportedly took place at a pineapple plantation in San Jose in Mindanao’s Bukidnon province on April 19.
Gunmen, believed to be security guards at the plantation, opened fire on members of the Manobo-Pulangihon indigenous group who were looking to occupy a piece of land as part of a land dispute protest.
They were being accompanied by presidential candidate Leody de Guzman, who was campaigning among farmers and indigenous people in the region.
Bishop Noel Pedregosa of Malaybalay called the shooting unwarranted violence and said it was especially reprehensible for having taken place during the Easter season.
“It is extremely regrettable that this had to happen, especially during this continuing celebration of the Octave of Easter where the main message of the Lord to humanity through the Church is peace,” he said on April 21.
“To all candidates, kindly show mercy to our farmers … In our situation today, our farmers need mercy and compassion”
He also called on political candidates not to lead farmers and indigenous people into volatile situations where they can be exposed to violence.
“To all candidates, kindly show mercy to our farmers … In our situation today, our farmers need mercy and compassion,” he said.
De Guzman, 62, is a farmer-activist fighting for labor rights and the rights of indigenous people whose ancestral lands are allegedly being grabbed by giant corporations in the Philippines.
He and the indigenous people were discussing how they could reclaim a piece of land when shots were heard which were caught on video. The shooting lasted for 10 minutes.
The presidential hopeful later told reporters he came close to being killed in the incident, saying one of the victims, who was shot in the chest, was standing right next to him.
De Guzman claimed he was not the target of the shooting because he could have easily been killed during previous visits.
“I think their [the guards’] intention was to spread fear among the indigenous farmers … for them to tremble in fear for daring to fight for their ancestral lands,” he said.
