On 14 June 2011 private guards employed by Central Mindanao University (CMU) opened fire and beat protestors who had set up camp outside the university in Dologan, Maramag, Bukidnon in the southern Philippines. Human rights defenders Messrs Billy Jardin, Gregorio Santillan and Larry de Vera received gunshot wounds and Messrs Wenni Loable, José Benemerito and Ms Marilou Portin were seriously injured. The protestors were members of Buffalo-Tamaraw-Limus– (BTL) Farmer's Association and BTL Women's Association. BTL is an umbrella organisation of the three local peasant groups Buffalo,Tamarawa and Limus. They have tilled the lands inside CMU for over thirty years and have been protesting against the forcible eviction from these lands.

At approximately 10:30 am on 14 June 2011 around 15 members of the security agency 'Chevron', hired by CMU, forcibly dispersed the make-shift camps set up by the peasant farmers in protest against the eviction of over 800 peasant families. The guards opened fire on the protestors and beat peasants who were nearby. The BTL Womens' Association joined in trying to defend the BTL group. Billy Jardin, Gregorio Santillan and Larry de Vera sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to the nearest hospital where they are currently awaiting surgery to have the bullets removed. Wenni Loable's right eye was injured by a rock and is reportedly in danger of losing his eyesight. It is reported that no one from the authorities has helped the human rights defenders who were slow to receive medical attention as they had no means to pay for immediate medical care. Many other protestors including women and children were injured as the guards attempted to disperse them.

Members of BTL set up the camps on 23 May 2011 to protest against CMU's claim over 400 hectares of land which more than 800 peasant families have been tilling for over three decades. In 1992 the farmers were given a Certificate of Land Ownership (CLOA) for the lands. However the Certificate was later canceled and the farmers were forced to sign a five year lease to secure the lands. A provision of the lease was that the farmers would not be driven from their lands. The lease has now expired and the CMU are insisting that the farmers relocate to San Fernando at the border of Bukidnon and Davao del Sur. The BTL Farmers' Association was set up to collectively pursue the goal of the peasant farmers to own their own lands and to safeguard the human rights and agrarian rights of its members. BTL Women's Association was established to focus on the peasant women's role in the pursuit of agrarian rights. The camp-out is still ongoing despite the guards' attempts to break it up.

Front Line views the dispersal of the protest outside the CMU by officials as a serious infringement on the right to freedom of assembly. Front Line believes that the injuries received by the human rights defenders are directly related to their work in defence of human rights and in particular to their work in defending the land rights of the farmers in Bukidnon.

Front Line urges the authorities in the Philippines to:

   1. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the violent dispersal of the protest staged by BTL outside CMU and the use of force by the private guards employed by Chevron, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
   2. Ensure that Billy Jardin, Gregorio Santillan, Larry de Vera, Wenni Loable, José Benemerito and Marilou Portin have access to the medical attention they require;
   3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in the Philippines are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

Front Line respectfully reminds you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals. We would particularly draw your attention to Article 5 (a) “For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (a) To meet or assemble peacefully” and Article 12 (2) “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.”