Progress has been made on the murder cases featured in the film 'Seeing is Believing'.

Pressure from WITNESS supporters and human rights groups around the world who saw Joey Lozano's Rights Alert and the NAKAMATA's footage on national television, as well as the hand-delivery of a copy of this video to the Philippine President, compelled the Philippines National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a thorough investigation - the first time that this had happened in the history of the NAKAMATA coalition's interactions with justice in the murder of tribe members.

After much public pressure, including letter-writing campaigns from overseas, the NBI completed their investigation into the slayings of Ananias Tahuyan and Rodolfo Dazing. They identified three suspects in their report and recommended a case of double murder. Two suspects, Dionisio Salcedo and Ramon Clementir, were taken into custody, while the third died in armed confrontation with the police while resisting arrest.

On July 2003, Salcedo and Clementir were arraigned and pleaded not guilty. Four more court hearings will be held this spring, between March and May 2004. No can predict how long this case will go. Justice is slow in the Philippines – especially for those who are seemingly powerless to influence the system.

NAKAMATA members, meanwhile, continue the struggle to fight for their rights despite continued threats and harassment.

To give one recent example, on April 8, 2003, the Tribal Organization of San Jose (TOSJ), whose former chair Samuel Bento was murdered in September 2001, was assaulted yet again. Goons strafed members who were doing some land preparations for their crops. One was seriously wounded, and animals were killed and wounded.

NAKAMATA members say that armed men are regularly seen near their home communities. It is also rumored that for only 2,000 pesos (less than $50), guns-for-hire are also willing to shoot tribe members dead.

These attacks against NAKAMATA are rooted in the tribes' assertion for their ancestral lands, a right granted to them by the Philippine Constitution and international law. But unless the Philippine government enforces their rights and hold responsible those who initiate these assaults, violence will surely continue, if not escalate.

Please address and send (preferably by post and/or fax) the following letter to:

President of the Philippines
Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Malacanang Palace, Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax 011 (632) 733-2107
Email: pgma@compass.com.ph; opnet@ops.gov.ph

Ambassador Alberto Del Rosario
Philippine Embassy to the United States
1600 Massachusetts Avenue
Washington D.C., 20036
(202) 467-9300; Fax: (202) 467-9417
Email: info@philippineembassy-usa.org

Ambassador Francisco Benedicto
Philippine Embassy to Canada
130 Albert St., Suite 606
Ottawa, Ontario
K1B5G4, Canada
Fax: (613) 233-4165
Email: ottawape@istar.ca

Atty. Jose Limmayog Jr.
Regional Director
National Bureau of Investigation
Cagayan de Oro City
Philippines

Chairperson National Commission on Indigenous Peoples
Atty. Reuben Dasay A. Lingating.
National Commission for Indigenous Peoples
2nd floor Delta Bldg. cor West Ave. & Quezon Blvd.
Quezon City
Philippines
Fax: 011 (632) 373-9765

Department of National Defense, Philippines
3rd Floor, DND Building
Angelo Reyes
Emilio Aguinaldo
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
1100, Country Code 1099
(632) 911-6213

Congressman Juan Miguel Zubiri
3rd district, Bukidnon
South Wing 414 Batasan Pambansa
Constitution Hills, Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel/Fax: 011 63 2 931 6489
[must call first to alert them of incoming fax]

Governor Jose MA. R. Zubiri
Provincial Governor
Malaybalay, Bukidnon
Philippines
Tel: 011 66 88 221-2523; 813-3845

Atty. Jose Limmayog Jr.
Regional Director
National Bureau of Investigation
Cagayan de Oro City
Philippines

Dear Atty. Jose Limmayog Jr.,

I have recently seen the documentary "Seeing is Believing," which relates the story of the murders of leaders of the NAKAMATA coalition of Bukidnon, Mindanao. I write to commend the NBI for its action in following up these cases, but also to ask that you act to ensure continued protection for members of the coalition who are still at risk for their lives.

NAKAMATA members lawfully exercise their right to file claims to ancestral domains, as outlined in the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, passed by the Philippine Congress in 1997. Their leaders face ongoing physical and verbal intimidation as well as murder in an apparent attempt to prevent them from recovering these lands.

On March 13, 2002 a report was filed by the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation, calling for the arrest of three suspects in the October 13th, 2001 murders of NAKAMATA members Ananias Tahuyan and Rodolfo Dazing. As of now I understand that two suspects have been arrested and are in the process of being prosecuted, with trial dates in the March and May of this year, while the third died following an armed confrontation with the police.

We appreciate the effort your officers, under the lead of Atty Alex Cabornay, have taken in these cases – the first time in NAKAMATA history that a murder case has been properly investigated.

However, insecurity continues to plague the area in which NAKAMATA is working. Since intimidation and harassment against their members continue, I urge you to guarantee the people of NAKAMATA full protection from further incidents and ask that you ensure an investigation takes place into the inaction of local authorities in the face of the attacks.

Thank you for your serious attention and cooperation on this matter. I will be monitoring this situation closely and look forward to hearing what steps you take to ensure the well-being of the entire NAKAMATA organization.

Yours sincerely,
Your Name
Your Address
(most government officials require an address, etc.)