Eufemia Cullamat
Eufemia Campos Cullamat[1] (born August 13, 1960), also known as Ka Femia, is a Filipino activist and politician. She is a member of the Philippine House of Representatives for the 18th Congress under the Bayan Muna party-list group. She is the second Manobo to serve in Congress after former Cotabato Representative Nancy Catamco.[2]
Eufemia Cullamat | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Philippine House of Representatives for Bayan Muna party-list | |
| Assumed office June 30, 2019 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eufemia Campos August 13, 1960 Lianga, Surigao del Sur, Philippines |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Political party | Bayan Muna |
| Children | Jevilyn Cullamat (deceased) Jikson Cullamat |
| Profession | Politician Human rights activist Lawyer |
As a tribal leader and activist, she has been active in movements to fight for the rights of indigenous peoples in the Philippines since the 1980s. She was chair of Lumad organization Kahugpungan sa Lumadnong Organisasyon sa Caraga (Kasalo Caraga).[3][4]
Biography
Cullamat is a member of the Manobo people from the mountains of Barangay Diatogon in Lianga, Surigao del Sur. She has been active in movements to fight for the rights of indigenous peoples in the Philippines since the 1980s.[5]
She was a community development worker at the Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS).
She helped found Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Sumusunod (MAPASU) in 1996 and served as one of its council members. She was also chair of Lumad organization Kasalo Caraga.
Death of Jevilyn Cullamat
On November 29, 2020, her youngest daughter Jevilyn Campos Cullamat, who was a medic in New People's Army unit in Surigao Del Sur died in an encounter with the 3rd Special Forces “Arrowhead” Battalion of the Philippine Army in Marihatag, Surigao Del Sur.[6]
The 3rd Special Forces Battalion, in a report on Sunday, said Jevilyn Cullamat, who the military unit claims goes under the nom de guerre "Ka Reb", says is a member of the Sandatahan Yunit Pampropaganda (SYP) of Guerrilla Front (GF) 19 of the Northeastern Regional Committee (NEMRC) of the NPA. The Army also allegedly recovered firearms, ammunition, and subversive documents at the encounter site.
Jevilyn's death was a subject of controversies. The Makabayan bloc condemned the manner of the rebel's corpse after photographs which depicts what they say as Jevilyn's "obviously artificially posed body" along with other confiscated rebel paraphernalia. The bloc says that the remains was treated as a war trophy. The military on their part has cited Jevilyn's affiliation, as proof of Bayan Muna's role in recruiting the youth to the NPA.[7] The Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has also called for the investigation on the body's treatment and a review protocol in handling bodies of rebels killed in battle.[8]
References
- "Lawmaker's daughter killed in Surigao del Sur clash". CNN Philippines. November 29, 2020. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- Mascariñas, Erwin M. (June 9, 2019). "'Lumad' takes IP struggle to Congress". Inquirer. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
- Umil, Anne Marxze (2018-10-31). "UP community slams Uson's red-tagging of Lumad schools". Bulatlat. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
- Panganiban, Chris V. (October 1, 2018). "'Lumad' vow to testify vs Duterte at ICC". Inquirer. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
- Umil, Anne Marxze (2014-12-09). "Eufemia Cullamat, leading generations of Manobo". Bulatlat. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
- "Daughter of Bayan Muna solon dies in encounter with military". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
- Punongbayan, Michael (December 1, 2020). "AFP links Makabayan bloc anew to CPP-NPA". The Philippine Star. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- Mangosing, Frances (November 30, 2020). "Lorenzana orders review of protocol in handling slain rebels' remains". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 1, 2020.