The local chief executive of Talaingod and the indigenous people mandatory representative in Davao del Norte revealed that their tribal leaders have been targeted for a long time by the New People's Army (NPA).
Mayor Basilio Libayao, in a press briefing on Monday at the municipal hall, said since communist guerrillas penetrated the Lumad communities, the harassment and killings of the the tribal leaders remain unabated.
The mayor also bared that with the Oplan Lakbay hukay it will just show that there are many datu or tribal chieftain and lumad members that were killed by the NPAs that were just buried somewhere.
"We see what's happening to the Lumads and datus. We don't even know where they are buried, there are also many others that they killed who were only left on the road just like my father, the former mayor of Talaingod whom they also killed,” he said.
He said the Armed Forces of the Philippines has been helping secure the communities before government services can follow. Based on Libayao's assessment, almost 95% of the communities are already secure but there are pockets of violence perpetrated by the NPA.
"(The NPA) is what's dragging down our town and that's why we are really hurt because almost all of our tribal leaders are being killed,” he said.
The mayor also confirmed that the NPA and non-government organizations have been taking away their children. They only learned later that the kids were brought to protest rallies in Davao City and Manila.
Bae Pilar Libayao, the IP mandatory representative in Talaingod, said all they are hoping for is peace in the community but they couldn't achieve that while the NPA is still there. She said they have written a list of Lumads killed by the NPA.
She said the rebels will just cover the bodies of the tribal leaders with banana leaves.
When they ask for the body of the person they killed, the NPA could no longer remember where they left it. She's grateful fo the presence of the soldiers because they feel more secured.
"That is why we are asking help from you," Libayao said.
Capt. John Louie Dema-ala, the civil -military operations (CMO) officer of the 56th Infantry Battalion, said there's no letup in their campaign to drive away the NPAs from the community.
“For now, the soldiers and PNP are doing their best … we have already six detachments and at the same time the community support team in Sitio Dulyan and Nasilaban to relay the government services to the community, "Dema- ala said.
Chief Supt. Marcelo Morales, the director of Police Regional Office XI, also said they will continue to coordinate with the AFP to provide security to the communities in Talaingod. They also planned on placing a police desk in Talaingod.
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