Former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro were arrested along with 72 others for conducting a solidarity mission in Davao del Norte on Wednesday night. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
FORMER Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and 72 others were arrested in Talaingod, Davao Del Norte on Wednesday night for alleged human trafficking, according to police, although his companions claimed that they were on a “solidarity mission.”
With Ocampo was ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro. They joined human rights groups to support students and teachers of a Lumad school that was forcibly shut down by the 56thInfantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, Castro’s fellow ACT representative, Antonio Tinio, said.
A spot report from Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 said the arrests were made at about 9 p.m. at a checkpoint operation by joint forces of the police and army in Barangay Palma Gil.
Fourteen minors, aged 14 to 17 years old, were rescued on board rented vans. The group allegedly came from Salugpungan Learning Center, a community school in the area, said Chief Insp. Jason Baria, spokesman of PRO11.
Baria also said the arrest stemmed from a complaint by tribal leaders in the area who said that they were just protecting their community.
“The tribal leaders are questioning why every night, they pull out children without the permission from the parents,” he said.
Tinio, however, in a text message to reporters, told a different story: “Last night, we were stopped at a military road block, the solidarity mission convoy was attacked by men believed to be members of the paramilitary group known as Alamara. Tires of some of their vehicles were spiked, the windshield of the van ridden by Rep. Castro and Ka Satur was broken, and gunshots were fired in their vicinity.”
Tinio added that instead of going after the attackers, the police brought the mission participants to the Talaingod police station in Davao del Norte, where they are being held as of posting time.
The Makabayan Bloc said that the National Solidarity Mission (NSM) on Wednesday night was a delegation of 74 people, including 29 students and 12 teachers, of Lumad schools in the region.
It also said that all the protesters were facing charges of “human trafficking in relation to child abuse law.”
“It would be a blatant and outrageous lie to accuse progressive lawmaker and former public school teacher Castro, former solon and peace advocate Ocampo, as well as the administrators of the Lumad school as child traffickers. Gabriela said that the arrest of Castro shows “a pattern of heightened violence and intimidation against women activists,” Makabayan said.
“We will not back down. We will expose and fight these attacks among our ranks,” said Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas.
Ocampo, Castro and their companions face charges of Republic Act 7610 in relation to child abuse, exploitation, and discrimination.
Ocampo was arrested four months after the Philippine National Police conducted a manhunt against him and other leftist personalities in connection to a murder case filed 12 years ago.
https://www.manilatimes.net/ex-congressman-satur-ocampo-nabbed-in-davao-del-norte-for-human-trafficking-police/475365/
Authorities go after commies. All of those participating in the so called National Solidarity Mission (NSM) are members of known Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) sectoral or political front organizations.
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