AN INDIGENOUS peoples (IP) group filed on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, an ethics complaint against House Deputy Minority Leader and Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT-Teachers) party-list Representative France Castro in relation to her conviction for child abuse.
The complaint was lodged before the House Committee on Ethics and Pivileges by the members of Davao del Norte-based Ata-Manobo Tribal Council of Elders of Talaingod-Indigenous Political Structure led by Datu Allan Causing, Andigao Agay, and Gusting Daiyak Dausay.
They were accompanied by their legal counsel, lawyer Israelito Torreon, who also serves as the lawyer of embattled Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
“This is an ethics complaint against Representative France Castro of ACT Teachers party-list for commission of what they deem as crime and she was in fact convicted by the Regional Trial Court. And this is part of the process upon which the IPs are seeking justice,” said Torreon.
He said the complaint is anchored on the provisions of Republic Act 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials, specifically the supposed commitment to public service.
In July, Castro, along with former Bayan Muna party-list representative Satur Ocampo and 11 others were convicted for allegedly endangering minors.
The decision is still under appeal.
The charges stemmed from the conduct of a National Solidarity Mission in Talaingod in Davao del Norte in November 2018 by a group joined by Castro, Ocampo, and 72 others.
The group aims to provide assistance to Lumad schools and teachers in the area and to look into the claims of human rights violations and harassment by the paramilitary group Alamara, which forcibly padlocked the Salugpongan Community Center.
They brought over 70 people, including 29 minor students, when they were intercepted by police at a checkpoint over allegations of human trafficking.
In response, Castro tagged the complaint as “another baseless harassment suit” and was a form of revenge in relation to her participation in the ongoing House probe on Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged misuse of public funds as well as former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.
"We know the people behind these harassment suits. They are the same individuals being exposed as gross human rights violators and plunderers of the people's money,” she said.
"These fabricated charges are meant to intimidate and harass those who stand in solidarity with oppressed communities. But we are undeterred. We will continue to fight for justice and accountability,” she added. (TPM/VoxPop Philippines)