MANILA, Philippines — (UPDATE - 10:53 a.m.) Another leader of the Teduray in Maguindanao was murdered Friday morning, little more than a month after a chieftain of the tribe was gunned down in the province.

According to information from the Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Movement, Melencio Ramugon, a village councilman of Barangay Pandan in South Upi town was shot dead around 10 a.m. in Tenorio, Awang, Datu Sinsuat town.

A source from the group, which advocates indigenous peoples’ rights, said the killing appeared to be the offshoot of a conflict over the Teduray’s ancestral lands. At least one person had been killed in June when the conflict began to heat up, the source said.

Timuay Labi (Teduray supreme chieftain) Sammie Bello, who said he arrived at the scene after Ramugon was killed around five meters from the St. John’s Episcopal Church, quoted witnesses as saying the victim was walking on his way to buy food when he was felled with one shot to the head.

Bello said he was puzzled by the murder of Ramugon, who he described as “not a high profile personality,” adding that they were still trying to get more information.

Ramugon’s murder follows that of Leoncio Arig, a Teduray chieftain and members of the Minted sa Inged, or council of leaders of the Timuay Justice and Governance, the tribe’s indigenous government system.

Arig was shot dead as he walked home with his wife and young daughter in Sitio Keninan, Barangay Ramongaob, South Upi on October 2.

The Minted sa Inged said Arig’s murder was “not an ordinary crime but an attempt to silence tribal leaders who persevere in standing for their rights.” [1]

InterAksyon.com