At least five people were injured after gunshots were fired during a meeting between presidential candidate Leody De Guzman and members of the Manobo-Pulangiyon indigenous tribe in Bukidnon on Tuesday.
De Guzman was with Partido Lakas ng Masa senatorial bets Roy Cabonegro and David D'Angelo during the incident.
Among the injured included an organizer of farmers in Mindanao, according to De Guzman on a tweet, as well as the leader of the Manobo-Pulangiyon tribe.
"Ang tinamaan ay ang nasa tabi ko, si Nanie Abela, na organizer ng mga magsasaka sa Mindanao. Casualty rin ang isang lider ng tribong Manobo-Pulangiyon," said the labor leader.
(The person beside me, Nanie Abela, who is also the organizer of farmers in Mindanao, was shot. Another casualty is the leader of the Manobo-Pulangiyon tribe.)
De Guzman and the senatorial candidates, however, escaped the incident without any injury.
"Salamat sa mga nag-alala. Ako po at sila kasamang Roy Cabonegro at David D'angelo ay ligtas," he said.
(Thank you for those who expressed concern. I, as well as Roy Cabonegro and David D’Angelo, are safe.)
According to the PLM in a statement, the IP community was asserting their rights in their ancestral land when they met De Guzman regarding the issue.
D'Angelo said that despite the IP community's legal and peaceful means of assertion, they were still received by gunshots.
"Mahigit 15 minuto na binabaril ang mga katutubo," said the D'Angelo on a Facebook live.
(The people were fired upon for over 15 minutes.)
De Guzman, after the incident, condemned the shooting and said the rich and powerful do not care about those who they believe are below them.
"Alam nating mayayaman at makapangyarihan ang ating binabangga sa labang ito. Ngunit ibang klase pa rin kapag talagang direkta tayong dinahas. Walang halaga sa kanila ang buhay nating mga maliliit," he said.
(We know that we are going against the rich and powerful in this fight. But it’s different when we are attacked directly. They have no value for our small lives.)
"Sana ay ligtas ang mga tinamaan ng bala sa pag-atake sa ating aktibidad kanina. Tuloy ang laban!"
(I hope those who were shot during the attack are safe. The fight continues.)
Malacañang calls for probe
Malacañang reacted to the incident also on Tuesday and condemned the shooting incident against De Guzman and the IP community in Bukidnon.
Acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar in a statement urged authorities to carry out a "thorough investigation" of the incident.
"Violence has no place in any civilized society and we condemn the incident in Bukidnon where gunshots were allegedly fired against the camp of Ka Leody de Guzman," Andanar said in a statement.
President Rodrigo Duterte previously stated that he wants a peaceful election this coming May, urging the public to "avoid violence."
"Either we have an election that is free, or I will use the military to see that the elections are free. The military is the guardian of our country, and I could call them anytime to see to it that people are protected and elections freely orderly exercised," Duterte previously said in a speech.
