Thursday, May 28, 2020

IPs grateful in new life without NPAs in Surigao del Sur

From the Manila Bulletin (May 28, 2020): IPs grateful in new life without NPAs in Surigao del Sur (By Mike Crismundo)

LIANGA, Surigao Del Sur — The Indigenous Peoples (IPs) community in the highland conflict-affected areas in Surigao del Sur on Wednesday, May 27, expressed utmost gratitude towards the continuous flow of government services and protection to them.



3rd SFBn-CMO / MANILA BULLETIN

As the tribal leaders expressed gratitude to the government, they also asked for their continuous protection from the government security forces in the area.

Tribal leaders made these statement during the ocular visit by the local government unit officials to the ongoing construction of the IP DepEd school to be called Sitio Simuwao School of Living Traditions at Sitio Simuwao (Kilometer 9), Barangay Diatagon, Lianga town, and Surigao del Sur.

The school will replace an alleged Communist New People’s Army Terrorist (CNT)-linked Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS).

Lianga Mayor Novelita M. Sarmen and Sangguniang Bayan council, and officials from Lianga IP Tribal Council, Surigao del Sur Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Agriculture, ground commanders and officers of 3rd Special Forces (Arrowhead) Battalion (3rd SFBn), 544th Engineer (Pioneer) Battalion, and the Lianga Municipal Police Station were present in the event.

Sitio Simuwao had been categorized as Communist CNT-influenced barangay based on the revelations of rebel surrenderees, IP leaders, and the community.

It was also revealed that some militant-CNT front group and communist shadow government had long been manipulating the IP community to refuse government’s peace and development intervention to maintain the sitio’s poor status so that they will have the reason to continually blame the government and use social issues to arouse, organize and mobilize agitated IPs in militancy and armed revolution.

“We cannot allow our tribe to suffer further in the hands of these brutal terrorists (CNTs) that is why we requested the military’s presence to advance and protect various government programs for our IP community even if it will cost our lives,” said Datu Constancio Duhac, Lianga Tribal Chieftain.

“We are thankful for the new hope provided for our children through this school because during our time, we lived in a life where Communist NPA Terrorists would continuously exploit us and even recruit us to be like them using their communist school of thought. We feel liberated after a long time,” Duhac, added.

Meanwhile, Hawudon Jumar S. Bucales, Lianga IP Mandatory Representative, said that Sitio Simuwao is just the beginning because there are a lot more sitios in Diatagon that need to be liberated and cleared from the communist terrorists influence.

“This is just the beginning. We have so much to do and we hope that the End of Local Communist Armed Conflict will soon be realized following our recent successes with the Task Force. We will still face a lot of harassment and resistance but with the military and government present, we know we can overcome all trials the tribe is facing,” said Bucales, in vernacular.

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