The 10th Infantry Division on Monday expressed its support
to the Department of Justice (DOJ)'s investigation on alleged atrocities
committed by the military against Lumad tribesmen living in Davao Del Norte and
Bukidnon.
"We believe that, in light of the various views
surrounding this issue, a thorough investigation conducted by a competent
government institution is a step forward to find out the truth. More
importantly, the Lumads, who have been the victims of this controversy deserves
the justice that our constitution has guaranteed them," 10th Infantry
Division public affairs office chief 1st Lt. Alexandre Cabales said.
"Our peace building effort, as embodied in our Internal
Peace and Security Plan Bayanihan, is one that recognizes the need to protect
the ordinary Filipino from terror and fear in order to allow them to pursue
their dreams and aspirations," he added.
Cabales said this commitment has brought them to the
remotest of areas to answer to the people’s clamor for a just and lasting
peace.
He added that the need to aid the Lumads has never been more
important as they have become targets of exploitation by the NPA and their
affiliate groups.
"For the past years, our soldiers together with other
peace stakeholders have worked side by side with the lumads to win the peace in
their communities and support their development," he stressed.
And in the performance of their mandate, Cabales said they
have the opportunity to see first hand the beauty of the cultural heritage that
the Lumads have fought long and hard to preserve. Like all other sectors of
society, they would want to live in peaceful communities for their children and
future generations.
This simple yearning is one that has inspired us and all
other sectors to support the cause of the Lumads, he added.
"However, this endeavor is not without a price. Our
soldiers have been vulnerable to attacks by the NPA in order to disrupt these
efforts. Many lives has been offered by our soldiers yet they continue to
remain steadfast in the performance of their duty. More recently, the attacks
has been intensified such that the credibility of our soldiers are the ones
being questioned. Sadder still, is that the groups who orchestrated these
attacks has pawned the ordinary lumad disregarding their well-being just to
pursue the propaganda," Cabales pointed out.
He added that the investigation of the DOJ is a welcome
opportunity for the truth to come out.
"We manifest our all-out support to this investigation
in the hope that this will pave the way for a greater appreciation on the
plight of our brother lumads and recognition of their sector as vital component
in our pursuit for just and lasting peace in our country," Cabales
concluded.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=808763
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