CAMP DATU MAKAPANDONG, Awa New Leyte, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur – The area command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday ordered the deployment of more troops to far-flung areas in the municipality of Tago in Surigao del Sur province following report of harassment allegedly perpetrated by the communist terrorists.
The Army’s 401st Infantry (Unity) Brigade based here who has the jurisdiction of that province also ordered field battalion commanders to stop “at all cost” the alleged continuous force revolutionary taxation scheme” implemented by the New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
Armed Forces of the Philippines soldiers (REUTERS/Ryan Bacalso / MANILA BULLETIN)
The force taxation imposed by the NPA terrorists to rural business folks and villagers had created fear among the locals that made some highland village folks to evacuate to their respective relatives in lowland areas, town proper and in Tandag City, report reaching the command and tactical operation center here stated.
Some of the residents, particularly members of Manobo tribe came from Sitio (subvillage) Lagangan, Barangay Caras-an, Tago, Surigao del Sur, field report received here said.
The command group of the 401st Brigade ordered field unit commanders to check on the alleged evacuees there.
“This harassment to far-flung villagers, lumads (natives) and rural business folks must be stopped at all cost,” ordered 401st Brigade commander Col. Andres Centino, to his battalion commanders in Surigao del Sur.
The 401st Brigade commander said the communist terrorists have violated the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) again.
“They should respect the rights of our lumad brothers and the CARHRIHL to which they (CPP-NPA-NDF) are a signatory,” Centino pointed out.
He added that the 401st Brigade will take appropriate action to protect the far-flung villagers, especially the highland people. “We will not allow these NPA terrorists to displace the normal lives of our highland tribes,” stressed the 401st Brigade commander.
Meanwhile, a total of 398 families or 1,862 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are in Lianga and San Agustin, Surigao del Sur. Some 367 families or 1,707 persons are still staying in a tribal school in Kilometer 9, Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur while there are 31 families or 155 IDPs staying at their relatives’ houses in Sitio Oranium Magkahunao, Buhisan, San Agustin, Surigao del Sur, said DSWD 13 regional director Mita Chuchi G. Lim, in her updated report Friday.
She said through the Disaster Response Assistance and Management Bureau (DReAMB) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD, the regional office of the agency based in Butuan City is continuously monitoring the situation in Lianga and San Agustin in close coordination with the local social welfare and development office and local disaster risk reduction and management council to ensure provision of continuous and timely updates for possible assistance.
“Our social welfare workers, along with the local officials and their workers and personnel are already on the ground and continuously handing over family food packs, rice and other needs of the “bakwits” (evacuees) there,” stressed Lim, in an exclusive interview with The Manila Bulletin Friday.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/12/08/more-troops-deployed-to-surigao-del-sur-after-alleged-harassment-by-reds/
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