THE Kalinaw-Southeastern Mindanao Region (Kalinaw-SEMR), a peace advocacy organization composed of former rebels, expressed full support for the Court of Appeals (CA) decision upholding the convictions of 13 activists and educators, widely known as the Talaingod 13.
“Ang decision sa court of appeals sa amoang panglantaw dili lang kini kadaugan sa balaod kung dili kadaugan sa kamatuoran, kini karon klaro nga mensahe na ang atoang kabataan dili angay gamiton o himunhimun sa idelohiya o buluhaton (The decision of the Court of Appeals, in our view, is not only a victory for the law but also a victory for the truth. It now sends a clear message that our youth should not be used or manipulated for ideological purposes or agendas),” said Ida Marie Montero-Lubguban, president of Kalinaw-SEMR, during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps briefing Wednesday at Royal Mandaya Hotel.
Rurelyn Bay Ayo, a former student of Salugpungan, welcomed the decision, saying it protects the youth, the future, and the Talaingod community.
“Sa pagkadungog namo nalipay mi ug nagpasalamaton mi kay kana nga desisyon, ang desisyon sa court of appeal kay dili lang kini kadaugan isip mga tribu kung dili kay usa kini nga pag-respeto isip lumulopyo sa Talaingod (Upon hearing the decision, we felt happy and grateful. The Court of Appeals’ ruling is not only a victory for us as indigenous peoples, but also a recognition and respect for us as residents of Talaingod),” she said.
Bartolome Arcala of the Ata Manobo Former Rebels Association said the ruling sends a strong message to protect the lives of children in Talaingod and ensure their access to education.
“Nagatimaan ug nagamensahe kana sa katawhan sa Talaingod partikular sa mga lumad nga ma ampingan nga luwas ang kinabuhi sa mga bata nga mabutang sa peligro nga sila makapadayon sa pagpaningkamot nga ang maayong kaugmaon makab-ot diha sa ilang pag-eskwela (This serves as a reminder to the people of Talaingod, especially the Lumad, that children’s lives must be protected so they can continue pursuing a better future through education),” he said.
Court rulings
In July 2024, the Tagum City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 2 found former Bayan Muna Representative Saturnino “Ka Satur” Ocampo, ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro, and 11 others guilty of violating Section 10(a) of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act (RA 7610). The court said the defendants endangered minors during a 2018 mission to remote areas of Talaingod. Convictions carried prison terms ranging from nearly five to nearly seven years, with civil and moral damages ordered for each child.
The CA, in December 2025, upheld the RTC verdict, finding no reversible errors and confirming that all elements of the offense were proven.
Community reaction
While Kalinaw-SEMR and Talaingod residents welcomed the decision, the Save Our Schools Network criticized it as criminalizing volunteers who sought to protect Indigenous children.
“Once elevated into jurisprudence, the Talaingod 13 case does not protect children. It punishes care… Those who acted to protect Indigenous children are criminalized, while the structures and actors that produced dispossession, militarization, and deprivation remain beyond accountability,” the SOS Network said in a statement on December 30, 2025.
Arcala said government assistance has reached some communities, but more is needed. Deteriorated access roads, previously built through illegal logging, make remote areas difficult to reach.
“Ang pagtabang sa gobyerno sa amoa makatabang pud mi sa paghatod og mga proyekto didto sa komunidad nga layo kaayo o halos dili maabtan [Government support will help deliver projects to communities that are very remote or almost unreachable],” he said, noting that Dole has provided a chiller, livestock, and other support.
The Talaingod 13 case dates to a November 28, 2018, fact-finding mission, when activists, lawmakers, and educators responded to reports that Salugpungan students and teachers were blocked from accessing food and supplies amid threats from a paramilitary group. RGP