A former teacher and congressman, Antonio Tinio, is asking the Court of Appeals to erase the guilty verdict against 13 people—including two ex-lawmakers—who helped save Lumad children back in 2018. These people are now being called “Talaingod 13.”
In 2018, former congresswoman France Castro, ex-congressman Satur Ocampo, and 11 others joined a rescue mission in Talaingod, Davao del Norte. Their goal was to protect Lumad students whose school, Salugpungan, was shut down after being accused of teaching rebellion. These students were being scared and hurt by paramilitary groups (armed men said to be backed by the government).
Instead of being praised, the rescuers were charged with “child endangerment” by the court in 2024. They were found guilty and told they must spend 4 to 6 years in jail—but they are now fighting to appeal this decision.
Tinio strongly disagrees with the court’s ruling. He said:
“They are not criminals. They are heroes who helped the Lumad children when no one else did.”
He believes they were only trying to protect the children’s right to go to school and stay safe. Tinio thinks it is very unfair that they are being punished for doing something good. He said this was a big mistake by the court, and he wants the Court of Appeals to reverse the decision quickly.
Was It All a Set-Up?
Tinio also said that the case is “made-up” and full of lies. He believes it was part of a plan by the former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration to scare people who were trying to help the Lumad communities and protect their land and education.
“Helping others, loving your country, and standing up for what’s right should never be a crime,” Tinio added.
He even said that President Duterte himself should be the one on trial, not the Talaingod 13. Back in 2017, Duterte once said in a speech that he would bomb Lumad schools because he believed they were teaching kids to go against the government.
“If you teach kids to rebel, I will bomb your schools,” Duterte had said.
But later, he said he didn’t mean it literally.
Still, Tinio said that those words were dangerous and caused real harm. He said:
“Duterte should be made to answer for his actions in the International Criminal Court. This isn’t just about drugs. It’s about what he did to the Lumad people too.”
Justice for the Talaingod 13
Tinio ended by saying that getting justice for the 13 rescuers is just the beginning. He hopes this case will help bring justice to all victims of government abuse and violence.
“They saved children. They should be honored—not jailed.”
