"IPs fear ‘all-out war’ vs minorities with generals in Duterte’s cabinet," 19 May 2017

An organization of Moro and indigenous peoples expressed fear that the appointment of former Army generals in cabinet positions will “intensify” attacks in their communities.

“The appointment of generals in cabinet positions is an intensification of the AFP’s all-out war against national minorities...,” said Datu Jerome Succor Aba, co-chair of Sandugo Movement of Moro and Indigenous Peoples for Self-Determination in a statement following Environmental and human rights activists held protest actions at the gates of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Former Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Chief of Staff Roy Cimatu was appointed as the new DENR chief and current AFP Chief General Eduardo Año will take over the DILG in June.

“Ret. Gen. Roy Cimatu as Environment Secretary will bring more chaos in our ancestral lands and territories to defend large scale mining and big business interests. Gen. Cimatu has a track record of using the armed forces to guard big businesses called ‘investment defense forces,’” Aba said.

Meanwhile, Aba said Año “will definitely ensure that the local government infrastructure will be fully utilized for the AFP’s counter-insurgency and all-out war.”

“This includes the strengthening of barangay intelligence networks (BIN) especially in struggling indigenous peoples’ communities and tag community leaders as rebels. BIN will only break the unity of villages in fighting land grabbing and plunder of our resources,” he added.