REBEL PLOY? Municipal health workers and police officers (left) of Kitaotao and Quezon towns in Bukidnon province help distribute medicines and provide medical and psychosocial services to the 25 Manobo families inside the compound of Iglesia Filipina Independiente on Monday (Dec. 2, 2019). The families fled their village in Quezon town following false reports that the military was going to bomb their village. (Photo courtesy Quezon, Bukidnon LGU)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Local officials in the Bukidnon town of Quezon said they are worried about the conditions of the 76 Manobo residents who evacuated to another town following false reports that the military was going to bomb their village.
Wena Pagayon, the acting officer of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development (MSWD) of Quezon, said Tuesday the Manobo families fled their village of Santa Fe on November 22 and took temporary shelter in the neighboring Kitaotao town.
Pagayon said local officials are worried because some of the children showed signs of colds and other diseases.
"During our assessment, we found that there was neglect on the rights of children particularly on their health and education because their studies were cut abruptly following their evacuation," she said in the dialect.
Pagayon said the families are now taking shelter at the compound of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente after they were brought by the "organizers" in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon for several days.
She said the Manobo families were led by certain "organizers" that the military said are affiliated with the communist New People's Army (NPA).
In an earlier statement, the Army's 88th Infantry Battalion belied reports that the military had planned to bomb the village because of the reported presence of the NPA.
Major Ariel Galimba, 88IB commander, said they suspected that the group behind the evacuation was connected to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its political arm, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
Galimba said the group convinced the residents to vacate their village under false pretext, as part of the NPA's strategy to expel the military in the area.
The NPA is the armed wing of the CPP.
Pagayon shared the same suspicion, saying they noticed that the Manobo evacuees were apparently "directed" what to say and were "careful to speak".
Some of the evacuees, she said, even confided health workers that they wanted to return home.
She said they have already coordinated with Kitatao's local officials to provide basic services and medical attention to the evacuees.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1087804
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.