The relentless violence against the Teduray and Lambangian Indigenous Peoples in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is a grave human rights crisis that demands urgent attention. The brutal killing of an Indigenous leader in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan on February 17, 2025—the 85th such murder since the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro in 2014—is a chilling reminder of the impunity that continues to plague the region. The Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIPs) have issued a strong call to Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua to take decisive action in safeguarding their lives, rights, and ancestral domain. This call must not go unanswered.
For too long, the NMIPs have been subjected to systematic displacement, harassment, and killings, with perpetrators evading justice. The families of victims remain in fear, and entire communities are uprooted from their ancestral lands, deprived of their fundamental rights and dignity. The absence of accountability has only emboldened further violence, creating a cycle of terror that must be broken.
The newly appointed Interim Chief Minister holds a crucial responsibility to address these atrocities and implement mechanisms that uphold justice and security for all communities in BARMM. The Philippine Constitution, the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the Bangsamoro Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Act of 2024, and the Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Act of 2024 all provide legal safeguards that must be fully enforced to protect the NMIPs.
The NMIP community has outlined concrete and urgent steps that the BARMM government must take:
- Strengthen security in NMIP communities – The establishment of permanent military detachments in vulnerable areas such as South Upi, Datu Odin Sinsuat, and Datu Hoffer Ampatuan is crucial. These security forces must work closely with local mediation bodies to prevent further bloodshed.
- Facilitate the return of displaced NMIPs – In accordance with the Bangsamoro IDP Act of 2024, the government must ensure that displaced families can return to their homes safely, with the necessary assistance from social services and other regional agencies.
- End impunity through judicial action – A Department of Justice (DOJ) Special Prosecutor should be designated to investigate and prosecute cases of NMIP killings, ensuring that justice is served and perpetrators are held accountable.
- Provide legal and paralegal support – Ministries such as the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MIPA) and the Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission (BHRC) must extend legal aid to the victims’ families and other at-risk NMIPs, ensuring that their voices are heard and their rights upheld.
The NMIPs’ plea for protection is not merely a request—it is a moral and legal obligation of the BARMM government. The killings must stop, and justice must prevail. The world is watching how the new leadership in the region will respond to these atrocities. This is a defining moment for Interim Chief Minister Macacua: will he uphold his duty to protect all peoples under his jurisdiction, or will he allow the continued suffering of the Indigenous communities in Bangsamoro?
The time for action is now. The Teduray and Lambangian communities have suffered enough. Their calls for peace, security, and justice must be heeded—not just with words, but with concrete, immediate measures that will restore their dignity and secure their future in their ancestral lands.
