At least eight armed groups are operating in Agusan del Sur
and Surigao del Sur provinces, an internal report by the 4th
Infantry Division on the number of so-called Bagani fighters revealed.
Included in the report titled “Profile on the Indigenous
People (IP) Bagani in 4ID AOR”, is the Jomar Bocales and Tejero-Belandres armed
group, suspects in the Sept. 1 killing of a Lumad school director and two
others in Lianga, Surigao del Sur.
Killed were Emerito Samarca, 54, Executive Director of the Alternative Learning Center
The killings sparked the evacuation of over 3,000 residents
from Barangay Diatagon in Lianga and neighboring areas.
The Philippine National Police has filed multiple murder,
arson, robbery and grave threats at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in
Lianga against Bobby Tejero, his older brother Loloy alias Abab, Gareto Layno,
and several John Does of the Bagani paramilitary group who were held
responsible for the killings.
The Army report said the Tejero brothers belong to the
Bagani armed group led by Jomar Bocales, a Manobo tribal chieftain, that
operates in the towns of Lianga, Barobo, San Miguel and San Agustin in Surigao
del Sur.
“Although the group is under the leadership of Jomar
Bocales, the most vocal warriors are the groups of Bobby Tejero and Marcial
Melendrez (another former NPA rebel),” the report said.
Bocales, in an interview with MindaNews, admitted that Bobby
Tejero, his brother Loloy and Layno used to be part of the armed group he
formed with Datu Calpit Egua in October 2014.
He said Calpit and the Tejero brothers including Layno had a
falling-out when their group leader, Hassan Flores, went back to the New
People’s Army in Surigao del Sur bringing with him five high-powered firearms
last July 11.
NPA commander Ka Emman confirmed that Flores, a former
rebel, returned to their ranks bringing the firearms he seized from Bocales and
the Tejero brothers.
The military report said the armed group led by Calpit is
operating in the towns of Bayugan and Prosperidad in Agusan del Sur, and
San Miguel in Surigao del Sur.
It also identified armed groups that are with Datu Jasmin:
Datu Alah, Datu Benhur Mansalunay, and Datu Sunjay.
Bocales said Calpit, who is his uncle, is the richest among
the datus (tribal chieftains) having a gold ore mining site in the boundary of
Barangay La Purisima in Prosperidad town and Barangay San Juan in Bayugan town,
all in Agusan del Sur.
He said it was Calpit not the military who armed the Baganis
after a failed attempt by the NPA to overrun his camp in Barangay Sta. Irene,
Prosperidad town in July 2014.
Calpit was wounded while his brother, Nestor, died in the
attack where at least 13 NPA rebels were killed.
During the Senate public hearing on the Lumad killings in
Tandag, Surigao del Sur, Father Glen Acosta, assistant parish priest of Barobo,
Surigao del Sur said town residents told him the camp of Datu Jasmin is located
near an Army detachment in Barangay Mamis, Barobo.
In the report, Jasmin is described as “sympathetic with
government forces especially to the Philippine Army.”
At least one armed group—the Datu Alah tribal group—was
described in the report as having been “augmented by elements of the PNP
Surigao del Sur Provincial Office” to restore order in Barangay Pantukan in San
Miguel town.
The report identified logging and rattan-cutting operations
as the main sources of livelihood for most of the Bagani armed groups
especially those with Mansalunay.
Several violent incidents involving these groups were
mentioned in the report notably the seizure of mining equipment of CNC Mining
Company in Carrascal town last May 11. The Baganis reportedly demanded P24
million for the return of the equipment.
The report also said several datus including Romel Alah of
Barangay Pantukan, Carrascal were killed by NPA rebels.
Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar has called for the disbandment
and disarming of all paramilitary groups that are accused of sowing terror in
Lumad communities believed to be sympathetic to the NPA.
Surigao del Sur Gov. Johnny Pimentel has urged the
Philippine Army to disband and disarm the Baganis calling them “a security
threat to the residents.”
The Army has denied it is supporting and arming the Bagani
armed groups.
http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2015/10/09/at-least-8-armed-groups-operate-in-agusan-sur-surigao-sur-army/
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