The Cagayan de Oro-based 4th Infantry Division strongly
denied on Sunday allegations that it is supporting any armed Lumad faction in
tribal communities.
In the same vein, Major Gen. Oscar Lactao, 4th Infantry
Division commander, vowed support for any law enforcement action to arrest the
people responsible for the recent Lumad killings in Surigado del Sur.
Lactao said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
has in fact formed a task force and teamed up with the Philippine National
Police (PNP) and provincial government of Surigao del Sur to carry out
operations against the lawless IPs (Indigenous Peoples) or Magahat which is
being blamed for the killing of three Lumads in the town of Lianga
He added that the military is not in any way supporting any
faction that is involved in the armed conflict now raging among rival tribes.
"We have formed the joint PNP and AFP task force that
is tasked to apprehend the perpetrators of the recent killings -- preferably
alive -- for them to face the full force of the law. Even AFP chief-of-staff,
General Hernando Iriberri, who hails from this province, has ordered me to take
all the necessary steps to support the PNP in capturing the perpetrators while
working for a mediation process to deescalate hostilities and to avert a
full-scale conflict among rival Lumad tribes. We wish nothing but peace and
progress for all of our Lumad communities," Lactao said.
He also said that the spate of violence in various Lumad
areas not only in Surigao Del Sur but in nearby provinces as well was caused by
conflict on who should take control of their resource-rich ancestral domains.
This fight for control by rival tribal groups became a full-blown
armed conflict when the communist New People's Army (NPA) joined the fray by
harassing and attacking Lumad tribes resisting their presence.
“The crux of the problem is the conflicting interests of
parties to control the resources that are found in the IPs ancestral domain,
particularly gold and other minerals. Among those interests belong to the NPAs
who have since been involved in harassment and direct armed attacks against our
Lumads who resist their presence," Lactao said.
"They want to control our IP communities because to
them, they are a rich source of recruits. To them, the ancestral domain of our
Lumads does not just give them men to fight for them but also the funds and
other logistics to ensure their existence," he added.
Lactao said that contrary to claims, the Army is not
condoning any illegal armed group and has not sanctioned any private armed
group to operate in Lumad areas. He also debunked claims that among those who
attacked the Lumad village in Lianga were members of the military.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=811420
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.