The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has taken cognizance of the cases involving Commissioner Archie Buaya of the Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission (BHRC) and the bombing of the Bangsamoro Health Minister Kadil Monera Sinolinding Jr.’s office. In response to these reports, the CHR Region 12 has initiated a motu proprio investigation and deployed a Quick Response Operation (QRO) to investigate the separate incidents in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
According to reports and footage of a security camera, unidentified armed suspects attacked the house of BHRC Commissioner Buaya with assault rifles in Barangay Labungan in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte on 10 October 2024. The nearby house of a BHRC employee, Ben Aguil, was also attacked by the same assailants.
This incident resulted in the death of John Debang, the security aide of BHRC Commissioner Buaya, who was initially rushed to the hospital due to his critical condition following the attack.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, authorities have reported that the office of Bangsamoro Health Minister Sinolinding Jr. was implanted with a grenade by an unknown perpetrator, who fled away while the explosion ripped through the area on 12 October 2024 in Cotabato City. No injured individuals or fatalities have been recorded.
The CHR notes the prompt actions carried out by the authorities in the region to investigate these incidents involving key officials in BARMM. Holding these perpetrators accountable is essential to ensuring that communities feel secure and protected within their own spaces.
Consistent with our call, the Commission strongly condemns these acts of violence, which not only spread fear within communities, but also undermine the people’s right to engage in public affairs. These incidents also violate the most fundamental right of individuals—their right to life.
This issue becomes even more alarming as it threatens to undermine the ongoing efforts to foster a culture of peace in the BARMM Region, especially with their upcoming polls in 2025.
As the country’s independent national human rights institution, the CHR remains committed to safeguarding and advancing the rights of the Filipino people, where communities are able to live free from fear, harm, and violence.
Let us work together towards fostering a society where every Filipino can safely participate in public affairs.###