DAVAO CITY – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao condemned the killing of Vice Mayor Roldan Benito of South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur in his hometown on Friday afternoon, August 2.

The BARMM called on authorities to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident and hunt the perpetrators.   

BARMM interim Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim said the assassination of Benito was a cowardly act.

“Vice Mayor Benito was not only a local official but a leader of the Teduray people. We are one with our brothers and sisters from the Indigenous Peoples’ in mourning the loss of a genuine advocate of human rights and inclusive governance,” Ebrahim said.

Benito, who was with his wife and children, was on his way home in Barangay Pandan when he was ambushed by still unidentified gunmen.

The vice mayor and his security escort were killed while his wife Analyn and 11-year-old son Joseph Mutia were injured. His 13-year-old daughter Kian Percy was unhurt.

Ebrahim added that the killing was a direct attack on the progress that the Bangsamoro government has made towards peace, unity, and development.

“We cannot allow the perpetrators of this heinous crime to go unpunished. I call upon the authorities to conduct a swift, thorough, and impartial investigation to bring the culprits to justice.”

BENITO

South Upi Mayor Reynalberto Insular also condemned the killing of his fellow local government official.

“I am shocked and outraged,” Insular said.

Insular stressed that the senseless act of violence against a committed public servant and his family has no place in the community.

The mayor described Benito as a dedicated public servant and an advocate for progress and community welfare.

Insular vowed to mobilize all resources of the local government to hunt down the perpetrators. “We are determined to make sure that all those responsible will be brought to justice and face the full weight of the law.”

He urged his constituents to be vigilant and stand in solidarity and cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies as they pursue justice for Benito.

“Together, we will rise above this tragedy, honoring Vice Mayor Benito's memory by building a community that is safe, strong, and united,” Insular said.

BARMM Member of Parliament Froilyn Mendoza also condemned the ambush. 

“I express this with profound regret and an unwavering resolve to see justice served,” said Mendoza, who also represents the Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIP) in the Bangsamoro parliament.  

She described Benito as a big loss in the Teduray community, saying that he was a cherished leader of the Teduray people.

Mendoza added that the slain official was also a tireless advocate for peace and inclusive governance.

“He was a steadfast defender of the rights of Indigenous Peoples and a protector of their ancestral domain, or fusaka inged. His sudden and tragic death is not only a devastating loss to his family and community but also to the entire municipality and town he served with unwavering dedication and honor,” she said.

The killing of Benito sparked public outcry among the Teduray communities in Maguindanao del Sur.

Since 2018, the Timuay Justice and Governance documented that at least 65 IP leaders and members have been killed in the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte. All of these cases remain unsolved.

In 2022, Jocelyn Palao, head of the ancestral domain division of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs (MIPA) in the Bangsamoro region, was assassinated. Palao was also a Teduray from South Upi.

Last April, Teduray Councilor Juanito Promboy in Datu Hoffer town, also in Maguindanao del Sur, was killed in an ambush.

According to TJG, most of the killings are believed to be related to land disputes and Teduray’s struggle in defending their ancestral domains from intruders.

The Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission called on the authorities to conduct a deeper investigation on the ambush of Benito. “Such acts of violence have no place in our society and must be met with the full force of the law,” BHRC said in a statement.