It has come to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples’ (NCIP) knowledge that Timuay Renato Promboy, a well-known Teduray Indigenous Peoples (IP) leader, was killed and beheaded in Maguindanao del Sur.

The NCIP strongly condemns the killing of Timuay Renato Promboy, who has been fighting to protect his community’s ancestral lands. This act of killing, much more beheading, is a grave assault on a person’s body and dignity. This in effect results to a great deal of fear and anxiety to the Teduray and Lambangian Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) and to all who speak out in favor of the rights and dignity of ICCs/IPs, who have long endured land dispossession, violence, and displacement.

The killing of Timuay Renato Promboy and the recent murder of Timuay Baywan Angan, reflects a pattern of impunity that must be halted. These atrocities are clear violations of human rights, IP rights, and the rule of law.

Hence, the NCIP stands in solidarity with the Teduray and Lambangian ICCs/IPs in their pursuit for immediate action and justice to put an end to this cycle of violence.

The NCIP further urges our partner from the Bangsamoro Authorities and the relevant government authorities to carry out a thorough and unbiased investigation into the killings, hold those perpetrators accountable, and guarantee the safety of the Teduray and Lambangian, and all ICCs/IPs that are under comparable threat.