“Mindanao, with its rich cultural diversity and resilient communities, stands at a pivotal juncture in its quest for social justice and lasting peace”
Recent events – the killing of Davie Ugking, a Lumad farmer in Surigao, and the murder of Ali Macalintal, a trans woman journalist and human rights advocate in General Santos – have once again highlighted the importance of achieving peace and justice in Mindanao.
In this regard, the Council of Leaders for Peace Initiatives (CLPI), with the Citizens Alliance for Just Peace (CAJP), organized the “People’s Initiative and Solidarity Towards Kalinaw,” a Mindanao-wide peace conference, in Cagayan de Oro, on June 24, 2025, to listen to and support the people of Mindanao in their call for a just peace.
As spokesperson for CLPI, I echo our statement released during the conference:
“Mindanao, with its rich cultural diversity and resilient communities, stands at a pivotal juncture in its quest for social justice and lasting peace. It is imperative that all concerned collaborate to address historical grievances, promote genuine development, and ensure equitable opportunities for all.
“A just peace requires respect for the Lumad — the indigenous peoples in Mindanao —their right to their ancestral domain and unique cultural identities, traditions, and ways of life. Ensuring their rights to land, self-determination, education, and safety is vital in addressing historical marginalization and preventing discrimination.
“In this regard, we condemn the continuing development aggression and militarization in Lumad areas. We appeal for the reopening of Lumad schools set up by NGOs and the religious that have been closed down by government using red-tagging as justification. Hundreds of lumad students have thus been deprived of their only opportunity to have formal education.
“We continue to demand justice for the victims of Martial Law in Mindanao, the more than 350,000 people displaced during the five-month aerial bombardment in Marawi, the missing and the dead, and the 30,000 families who remain displaced.
“We also call for just compensation especially as the ongoing rehabilitation efforts fail to prioritize the reconstruction of destroyed houses in the community.
“Red-tagging is anathema to a just peace. It must be stopped immediately, as it threatens the safety, security, and human rights of social activists, community leaders, and innocent civilians.
“This practice unjustly labels individuals and groups as so-called “communist-terrorists” without credible evidence, fueling fear and intimidation within communities. It often leads to harassment, illegal arrest and detention, or even extrajudicial killings.
“We reiterate the demand for the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, which has been associated with red-tagging practices, and has been misused to justify human rights violations.
“Abolishing NTF-ELCAC is crucial to fostering an environment where genuine development and peace can thrive without fear of repression or violence.
“We also support the call for the repeal of the Anti-Terror Law and Anti-Terror Financing Act that has been weaponized and misused against Mindanao development and activist organizations.
“Ensuring that those responsible for corruption and human rights violations are held accountable is essential in building a just society where everyone’s rights are protected and respected. This is especially relevant in the context of high-profile cases such as the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
“We also recognize that climate justice is an essential component of peace in Mindanao because the region is increasingly vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change, such as typhoons, floods, and droughts.
“By integrating climate justice into peace initiatives, the people of Mindanao can work towards a more equitable and sustainable future.
“We support the peace agreements between the government and the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) and the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) as vital for achieving lasting stability in Mindanao. When faithfully executed, these agreements can lead to prioritized development, meaningful participation in governance, and social cohesion.
“We support the resumption of peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, as envisioned in the Joint Oslo Statement of Nov. 2023.
“Such negotiations are an imperative for achieving genuine peace and justice in the country.
VThey offer a constructive platform to address underlying issues such as social inequality, land rights, and political marginalization that have fueled decades of conflict in Mindanao and the rest of the country.”
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