Teduray Community Leader Killed in Ambush
COTABATO CITY — Violence against the indigenous tribes in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) continues to escalate. A Teduray community leader in South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur was fatally ambushed on Friday, marking another grim chapter in the ongoing attacks targeting indigenous peoples.
Local leaders reported that Nicasio Mindo, a respected figure and former barangay councilman, was riding a motorcycle with his wife, Dindin, when assailants struck in Sitio Lumbos, Barangay Romongaob. The incident happened around 3 p.m., catching the couple off guard in a violent ambush.
Details of the Ambush and Aftermath
Mindo died instantly at the scene, while his wife sustained injuries. Passersby quickly assisted her and brought her to a nearby hospital for treatment. This attack adds to the troubling list of violence affecting non-Moro indigenous peoples in the region.
Calls for Justice and Protection
Leaders from the Teduray-Lambangian tribe’s political system, the Timuay Justice and Governance (TJG), strongly condemned the killing. Timuay Letecio Datuwata, the TJG’s supreme chieftain, urged authorities to intensify efforts to resolve this case. He emphasized the need to address the broader issue of attacks on indigenous communities in the BARMM.
“These violent acts threaten not only our leaders but the very fabric of our people’s survival,” local leaders noted. The community remains hopeful that justice will be served and that the region will see lasting peace and protection for its indigenous inhabitants.
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