MANILA - Lumads and militant groups on Wednesday condemned the killing of 19-year-old Obillo Bay-ao who was allegedly shot Tuesday by two members of a paramilitary unit in Talaingod, Davao Del Norte.
According to Rius Valle, Save Our Schools Network spokesperson, Bay-ao was on his way home from the farm when he was allegedly shot by Joven and Ben Salangani, supposed Citizen Armed Force Geographical Units (CAFGU) members in the community.
The group said Bay-ao was the 47th Lumad to be killed in the Davao region under the Duterte administration.
"Intensyonal ang pagbaril sa kanya. Nagiging target lahat ng estudyante at mga guro ng buong paaralan," Valle said.
Bay-ao was a student of Salugpongan Community Learning Center before classes there were suspended after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to bomb Lumad schools.
Lumad students and teachers have since protested the statements of the President and some have camped out at the UP Stud Farm with militant organizations Save Our Schools Network and Sandugo Kilusan ng Moro at Katutubong Mamamayan Para Sa Sariling Pagpapasya.
One of the protesters, Rorelyn Mandacawan, a cousin and classmate of Bay-ao, turned emotional during the press conference.
"Nagagalit kami sa mga alamara, bakit pinatay ang aming kapwa estudyante? Hindi siya NPA. Mag-ingat ka Duterte, pag-uwi namin sa aming barangay mag-rebelde na kami. Mga sundalo, p*******a mo," Mandacawan said.
Bay-ao's teacher Ramel Miguel lamented the notion that students of Salugpongan are members of the New Peoples Army.
"Pinapatay kami na parang baboy pinapatay na hindi parang tao, ang iniisip lang nila to shut down the school, gusto nila maging manang ang mga lumad," Miguel said.
Obillo Bay-ao, Lumad, Davao del Norte, CAFGU, Citizen Armed Force Geographical Units